Sullys' Secret
by AllTheWrongLoves
Summary: We're all aware we hardly know anything about Nate and Sullys' past. What if Sully held one little secret that he had kept for years away from people that not even Nate remebered?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey you guys it's me! :D so I decided to be a fool and write a multi-chap story because I haven't done it in a while. So this story is based off of a comic I'm going to start for deviant art. I've been practicing my shading and have been scouring the internet for manga drawing tips and I want to test out my endurance of that kind of stuff! Enough of my babbling let's get to what you even bothered to click on for! I don't own any characters. **

There were many things Victor Sullivan kept to himself. Yes he indulged in telling a good story around friends once in a while-the small rush of having peoples' eyes on you as you told a good chuckle worthy story or something to keep them on the edge of their seat. Not all were for telling though. He held some secrets close to his heart just like other people. But when Elena found a certain picture buried deep in an old box from earlier years, he had no choice but to tell her how the picture came to be. He had to release his most precious secret to his friends' wife of two years. He had to tell her because some secrets can't be kept forever.

**22 years earlier**

"C'mon Sully!" Nate called far ahead of the middle aged man, trotting happily through the thick forest like it was just another Saturday. Well this usually was a normal Saturday for them. Sully sighed and followed his young protégé. At least the kid was enjoying himself. When Sully had offered taking a trip that had nothing to do with a job, it had been obvious on the teens' face that he was hesitant. Within his two years with the fortune hunter he had shown he could carry his weight and knew a thing or two that helped out on multiple occasions when he wasn't being hopelessly reckless. He was such a snarky and distant kid it was almost baffling. He hardly ever asked for anything unlike a lot of kids too...but with all this he still acted like he was ready to shoot off if Sully made one wrong move. It was a lot less than it used to be though. Sully would admit he had been relieved on a level when Nate cautiously agreed to a week away from their apartment to Brazil. He hadn't expected Nate to have as much fun as he was. He didn't even mind the pictures Sully always quickly snapped during their trip, even occasionally giving a smile. It was a big change in his reaction to cameras; he usually scowled and flipped off the camera if anyone told him to smile. Sully found it hilarious-others didn't. It led to a lot of scolding about how he was raising the teen.

He was surprised how willing Nate had been to try weird foods with him or go on a strange tour of a museum with a man that spoke zero English. Now they were hiking through the flush forest, way off the trail their brochure had recommended. But that was Nate. His curiosity always led them somewhere way off chart. Sully chuckled when he heard a small thump and Nate hiss a curse under his breath. Looked like he found another rabbit hole. That was-what? The third one?

"You alright kid?" he called, rolling his eyes when Nates' head popped up over the edge.

"Yeah. Just peachy." He chuckled again at Nates' remark and finally caught up with the teen down a steep hill. He was happy it was a fairly cool day; the forest was thick that if it were a hot day it would be almost suffocating. Nate slowed down enough to stay by his side as they trekked across an old bridge above a small creek, a few small animals scampering around. The place seemed like a tourist attraction but the brochure didn't show it for some reason. strange…

"Hey Sully. Check out that old tower!" Sully snapped out of his thoughts to see what Nate was talking about. Up another large hill was an old stone tower-around a hundred years- with vines wrapping around it all the way up to the faded red roof. He puffed a breath and set his hands on his hips as he studied the unstable looking building.

"Been there a long time. Looks like it hasn't been maintenanced in years." He muttered to himself, oblivious to Nate hurrying ahead towards the hill until he was very nearly at the top.

"Uh-Nate!" the teens' only response was a distant laugh while he continued to jog up the hill with his usual endless energy. Sully huffed and rushed to follow. Godamn kid and his curiosity!

By the time Sully caught up to Nate, he was struggling to open the splintering wooden door with harsh tugs and pushes. Sully was about to tell him to stop and get back to the hike when he slammed his shoulder into it and barreled through, giving nothing but a surprised curse while the crack and clatter of the wood made Sully jump.

"Jesus! Kid you gotta be more careful." Nate pushed himself off the ground and rolled his shoulder to make sure he didn't dislocate it, giving his mentor a confident grin.

"I got through didn't I?" Sully couldn't stop himself when he slapped his palm onto his forehead. Christ almighty. Sometimes Nate was hopeless when it came to his optimism. He didn't have time to continue when Nate started towards the long flight of stairs two at a time. Sully sighed and followed up what appeared to be spiraling stairs around the towers' cracking foundation. The tower wasn't looking so great. The stairs led the two into a large room with three large windows letting sunlight seep into the dusty space. Seriously. Sully felt like he was breathing in a pound of dust. It had a few shelves being supported by rusty chains that threatened to snap any second with folded cloth.

"Well I was right about the maintenance thing." But Nate wasn't listening to him. The teens' attention was on a worn black pedestal near the middle window-what looked like leaves engraved into it-with a shiny, cherry red stone resting right in the middle of it. The suns' rays made it twinkle and glitter.

"Whoa…" he murmured and slowly circled it. It was so small compared to the pedestal-about the size of a bottle cap. What was it doing in the old crumbling tower? It seemed to be the only stable thing in the place. He reached out and carefully moved it from its spot to his palm. He grinned a little as he moved the small stone in the sunlight, making it glitter at new angles. Nate set it back down for a moment to pull his notebook out of his pocket and quickly sketch it, bringing the little stone back into his hand when he was done.

Sully felt a chill run up his spine-meaning something was going to happen. He cautiously looked back at the stairwell and didn't see or hear anything. He frowned and turned his attention back to Nate. The teen was looking at some little gem with that glint of fascination he saw the day he and Marlowe caught him in the museum with Francis Drakes' ring. It would have been nice to see if the nagging feeling in his spine would quit. What he didn't hear though, was very subtle hum echoing through the room. Nate ran a thumb over small indents in the stone that seemed like an inscription.

He grinned wider when the gem started to glow, giving his hands a soft warmth. Almost like he was holding a hot mug. It was…nice. Comforting almost.

"Cool…" He muttered as the warmth crawled up his arms the larger the glow became all the way to his chest. Sully narrowed his eyes. That wasn't right the way the stone was glowing. He stiffened when he felt a very gentle vibration beneath his shoes. It was so soft that it was more like a tingle. He slowly moved his eyes from his feet to Nate, the stone still glowing brilliantly in his young proteges' hands. He didn't see the grin vanish off Nates' face as the gem started to tremble in his palm, little sparks of orange and white coming from it. The teens' eyes widened when the stone started to almost thrash in his hands, the sparks increasing with at a frightening rate. At the same time, the vibrating started to get stronger. Sully looked around to see small pebbles and speckles of dust coming off the already unstable building as rumbles tore through the foundation. What was happening?

"Kid…" He warned. Nate wanted to answer and move away from the not so harmless stone. He was stuck though-watching the sparks spurt from the stone almost like miniature fireworks. His heart skipped a beat when the gem started to…levitate. There was no other word for the way it slowly floated out of his cupped hands all on its own to meet his eyes. Sully gasped, watching the flailing rock just as shocked as his teenage protégé. Nate felt like he was stuck-gawking at what was happening pretty much right in his face. The warmth that he had enjoyed earlier became a burn-to the point the heat felt like it was boiling his blood through his veins. The shaking of the tower threatened to take down the whole thing with awful tremors that made Sully stumble. A loud buzz echoed through the crumbling room almost like an alarm, the red stone becoming nothing a slashing mass of colors.

"NATE!" Sully yelled over the noise before an ear ringing 'shoom' blasted through the tower, a sea of red engulfing it like an explosion and seeping out of the windows. Sully grunted as the light blinded him and he tumbled to the ground, hearing a thwack and clatter as something slammed into the wall across the room while the shaking tower moved like it was in an earthquake. Mere seconds later the bloody light faded away and the tower went still once again, becoming as silent as it had been when they entered. It was so sudden that it took Sully a moment to lift his head and realize that it was over.

"What the hell was that?" He murmured as he pushed himself off the dusty ground and brushed his pants. He caught sight of the stone. At least…he thought it was. The one he saw in Nates' hand had been red. The one lying innocently on the ground was an ash grey with blood red writing on it. He snatched it up and studied the inscription. **'Aestimo adulescentia' **

Damn. It was Latin. He'd have to show Nate-NATE! Sully whipped his head around to search for the teenager. He hoped whatever just happened hadn't hurt the kid too bad. He shoved the rock in his pocket and continued searching.

"Kid? Nate, where are you?" In return he heard a low groan. He sighed in relief when he saw a pile of old clothes move with a small bump. He rushed over to the pile and began o pull of the musty stuff away.

"Kid I don't know what that was but we're lucky it didn't make this place colla-"he stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of familiar eyes, but the face didn't fit. He dropped the rough feeling blanket that had been in his hand in shock.

"What?" Sully now noticed the higher tone of the voice. He blinked and shook his head as if he was dreaming and it would snap back to normal if he performed the motion. What was in front of him didn't make any sense. Sully opened his mouth to speak, seeming to choke on his own tongue. Did the stone do something? It seemed like to be the only thing that might hold the ability.

"Kid, do you…feel okay?" those blue eyes mirrored confusion and a small twinge of annoyance, narrowing just a little.

"Yeah, fine. My head hurts a little. Why?" Sully just stood there or a minute-not sure how to explain what he was seeing. He swallowed a lump in his throat and finally managed to say what he thought. He motioned his hands towards his protégé.

"Kid you're-you're five!" Nate scoffed and gave his mentor a look of disbelief-even so he hesitantly lifted his slightly sore hand to his face, gasping when he was met with a scar free, tiny hand. No way. He hurriedly moved from his spot only to trip over something. His boots. He now felt like his sleeves were too large and his jeans were about to slip off.

"Sully let me see your lighter!" Nate pretended not to notice that he had to crane his head to make eye contact with Sully or that the neck of his shirt slipped down his shoulder, snatching the medal from the mans' hand to get a look of his reflection. His heart very nearly stopped. A sweet round face and slightly chubby cheeks paired with his big blue eyes had him flinching away from the lighter as if a flame had flicked on. He could feel Sullys' eyes on him as he slowly lowered the lighter to stare at his far too baggy pants. 'I'm five.' The realization hit hard. So hard that he had to lift his hand to look at it again, like it was all a dream. He was tempted to slap himself and snap out of whatever was going on. it certainly couldn't be real/ He stayed silent for what felt like hours, scanning over his now tiny and unmarked hands. His round face suddenly screwed up in fury, belting out an outburst that startled the birds outside into flying away.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

***gasp* betcha didn't expect that! :D lol, this story came out of nowhere. I hope you like it enough for it to continue! If you don't I'll write it anyway for my enjoyment. XD**


	2. Chapter 2 should i start namin these?

**I'm honestly surprised how much positive reactions the first chapter got. You do not know how happy that made me! :'D I honestly thought it was going to suck hardcore because of how rusty I am! So here we go! Time for chapter two! I don't own uncharted.**

"OF ALL THINGS I COULD COME ACROSS IN THIS COUNTRY I HAD TO FIND A GODDAMN ROCK THAT TURNED ME INTO A FRICKIN TODDLER! OH NO IT COULDN'T BE SOMETHING USEFUL LIKE TELLING THE FUTURE OR SOMETHING! IT HAD TO BE SOME FRICKIN' AGE ALTERING CRAP! ARGGHHH!" Sully struggled not to laugh at the image in front of him; Nate flailing his far too large sleeves as he struggled not to trip over his jeans while he stomped around in his fit of rage, his little round face beet red in anger. He covered his mouth and nodded as Nate kept going-his already high voice cracking from the shouting. Have you ever seen a toddler filled to the brim with rage? It's really funny.

"I-I just…!" he grunted when he finally tripped over his jeans onto the wood floor of the tower. "Damnitt all!" Sully took a deep breath to keep himself from laughing before he spoke up. He felt bad about wanting to laugh but it was just too hilarious of a sight.

"Just calm down a little-"he attempted to coax him out of his fit. But it failed.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down when twelve years of my life have just been swept away like nothing? No I won't calm down!" Nate gave him a sharp look as his voice somehow rose a little more. Sully held his hands up in surrender.

"Alright kid, let's just get back to the hotel and see if we can find anything about this." His protégé gave him a look that asked if he was crazy as he stood up on short legs. His balance felt so off. And he felt so tiny compared to his mentor. He had already been short compared to him. Now-it was like the man was seven feet tall instead of closing in on six. He felt weak. And he didn't like it.

"I'm not going out in public like this!" Sully rolled his eyes with a smirk. But it disappeared when he caught sight of two figures up the first hill towards the tower. From he could see so far it looked one was carrying a weapon. And his Wes.44 was back at the hotel. Well that wasn't good. Sully acted on impulse and set his hands underneath Nates' arms, scooping him up into his. He didn't have time to worry about Nates' unchanged ego.

"Wha-hey, what are you doing?" Sully ignored his objections and hurried down the stairs, hoping he could make it before those figures came up the hill.

"No time kid. We gotta go."

"What is it?" Nate demanded, ignoring being held at the moment.

"Shh…"

He cautiously rushed out of the entrance; thankful Nate seemed to understand he needed to be quiet as he jogged the opposite way of the duo most likely making it up the hill by now. He hoped he didn't MEET them at the entrance.

Sully pressed his back against a fat tree to hide, hearing the crackle of a walkie-talkie. Nate started to squirm around to try to get a peak of whoever it was, but Sully pulled him back against his silent objections.

"Someone has been here. The door is broken down." One of the men muttered almost disdainly into the walkie talkie. A very strong Irish accent spoke with malice in return.

"Make sure the stone is still there! If it is not, search for any signs of where those people could be and terminate them." Sully and Nate shared a look, Sully remembering the stone was in his pocket. Whoever the guy was, the thing was important to him. All the more reason to find out what it did. So Sully waited for the two men to enter the tower before he moved from his spot back down the hall much faster than on their hike, treating his boots like track shoes.

Xx

"Finally! Sully, check this out!" Sully dropped down on Nates' bed in their hotel room, surprised the mentally fifteen year old actually found something after two hours of searching the internet. It was hard getting used to looking at Nate and seeing a child instead of the teen he had scooped up in Cartagena, his now gigantic shirt always slipping down his shoulders and his jeans abandoned on the floor. It was strange how the stone changed his physical age, but didn't alter his mental state at all.

"It's called 'aetate increduli lapidem.' Or the age defying stone. It was used to change the ages of kings or their heirs. If a king was growing too old but his son wasn't quite the right age, they would use the stone to knock off a few years to keep reigning. If they became ill, they would use it in the opposite effect and make their heirs age." Sully frowned and studied the picture on the right side of the screen. It was red. Just like the one on the nightstand had been before whatever happened back at the tower.

"That's all real peachy-but does it tell how it works?" Nate scrunched up his little nose, turning back to the monitor to see if there was anything else.

"Yep. 'The age defying stone is an old legend that has been told for centuries. It was supposedly created in Rome by an unknown god and thrown into a whole other part of the world to be discovered by a string of royalty that used it almost constantly. The stone has been told to be blood red before use and turn grey once the transformation of ages has been completed. It seemed that the only catch to this supernatural rock was that it could be used only once a year…" Nates' voice fell a little. He was stuck like a kid for a whole year. That just added another bad check to his day. Sully noticed the change and set a hand on his smaller shoulder.

"Keep goin' kid. I'm sure there's some bizarre shit if those guys wanted it." The toddler sighed and continued.

"It could be used two ways. One was to hold it toward the sun at high noon to eliminate years on a fertile male or female. In other words from twelve to older…the other was to wait for a full moon and dive into any deep location of water to make children age into young men or woman."

"Well that puts a huge disadvantage in things." Sully muttered as Nate hissed a very creative list of curses. "You have to wait a full year for the thing to be useful again and then either get it at noon or during a full moon in a river. Why do those guys want it?" Nate pushed the laptop away, puffing his cheeks to try and tone down his irritation. The goons back at the tower were the least of his worries; He was stuck being five years old for a whole other year and then had to catch a full moon near a lake or something. They couldn't stay in Brazil all year.

And there weren't any large masses of water near their apartment back home. To think this started as just a vacation. His heart sank the longer he thought of the fact. He felt Sully move off the bed towards his own, pulling out his suitcase.

"I think the best thing to do right now is get out of here before whoever those guys were earlier start hunting. We'll figure out what to do back home." Nate nodded and slipped off the bed to gather his things. He felt kind of disappointed. He had actually been enjoying himself on their trip. He glanced at Sully-who was trying to find his lighter- for a moment before he pulled his backpack out from under the bed to pack as well. He kind of wished they could stay a little longer. But their position from mere tourists had shifted to wanted men.

The trip to their ride was more than just awkward. Nate had insisted on walking even though his boots were abandoned at the tower. He had to tie his boxers to act like shorts and tried to ignore his shirt as much as he could. He couldn't count how many times he caught Sully glancing at him like he was waiting for him to fall. His balance was still horribly off and he wasn't used to having to look up to everyone around him. He hated seeming so weak in front of Sully. The middle aged man knew how capable he was of doing things on his own, but it didn't apply when he was a five year old with a teenagers' mental state. He wouldn't admit that his tiny socked feet had been sore by the time they made it to their plane, or that he felt like his backpack was going to pull him to the ground. He was growing a larger hatred towards the stone that was now in his backpack every minute.

"When we land, I think we should hit a store and get you some clothes that _fit. _And some sneakers" It had been a couple hours since either had spoken, finding it difficult because of all the people around them. Nate frowned and glanced at his sleeve covered hands. It was a good idea-in fact it was probably necessary. But he didn't want to. He wasn't sure why.

"Whatever…" he muttered. They fell back into silence until their plane landed.

Xx **the next day**

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!" Sully nearly dropped his mug as Nates' outburst slammed through the apartment. It was only ten in the morning and something was already setting off the five year old! After stopping at a store and just grabbing some shirts and other stuff for Nate, they had come straight home and just gone to bed, Nate muttering about not being hungry.

He hurried down the hall towards the bathroom where a royally pissed off Nate was struggling to reach the knob to the faucet on the very tip of his toes and stretching his arm to its breaking point. Sully smirked ad leaned against the frame of the door to watch Nate hop a little to get to the faucet, his baseball shirt once again slipping down his shoulder. He really should hold a little more sympathy for the kid-but he was so pissed off about it it was hard to take him seriously.

"Need a chair kid?" the child whipped his head around to glare at his mentor with a flushed face of embarrassment. His big blue eyes held a large amount of venom towards him.

"Sh-shut up! Just shut up! I can get it! Just give me a sec." Nate stretched even farther to show Sully he didn't need a chair, but even with his efforts the knob was out of his reach. He let a whine pass his lips as he fell back to the flat of his feet and hit his forehead against the edge of the sink. Frustration drained away to leave embarrassment from making a fool of himself in front of his mentor. Why did this have to happen to him? He had been year shy from becoming a legal adult and this had to happen! He didn't want to be small and helpless. He wanted to be back to normal and it was only his second day like this. He had an entire year to get through. The sound of something clunking next to him made him slowly turn his head to see a wood stool and an empty door frame. He gave a resigned sigh and pulled in front of the sink to climb up so he could brush his teeth.

Sully was making breakfast when he trudged into their cramped kitchen in a pair of small jean cut-offs and a simple white shirt. The man glanced at him before he handed over a plate of their usual eggs and bacon without a word. Nate avoided eye contact, still feeling awkward from his outburst and climbed up one of the two chairs to eat.

The silence between them was just like the first night Nate spent with Sully; no idea what to say to make the atmosphere better. Sully felt like he was back to square one-back to the night the teen kept staring at him with calculating eyes. Sully caught himself just moving his fried eggs around his plate in a slow circular motion, Nate doing the same thing. No, no. they had been around each other for years; they weren't going back to…whatever they were in the beginning.

"Look kid, I know you're ticked off about this but that's no reason to act like everything's different." Nate stopped picking at his food to point those blue eyes toward him with a familiar studying glance. It was weird that he was so used to the look.

"Things _are_ different." The mental teen countered as he finally cut a piece of egg. Sully bobbed his head and placed his elbows against the table. Things were different. Well by physical means.

"I won't deny that. I mean, you were short when you were a teen. Now-psh, you're a tiny bugger." Sully smirked when a massive wave of red covered Nates' face and he gaped at him with absolute embarrassment.

"You-I-shut up!" He was surprised how flustered that got Nate. He must have been aware of his size way before Sully mentioned it. He chuckled and shook his head when Nate hid underneath his arms.

"But seriously kid. It's only a year. And we have to watch out for those guys we saw back in Brazil. Whoever that Irish guy was, he's not gonna be too happy knowing a couple of fortune hunters stumbled across the weird little rock." Nate gave a low chuckle and shrugged, always failing to stay mad at the middle aged man.

"Yeah I guess you're right. That doesn't mean I'm not going to like staying this way."

"Nobody said you had to." And just like that the awkwardness was gone. Sully had no idea how right he was about their mysterious man being angered.

**Back in Brazil**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COULDN'T FIND THEM!" the Irish accented man demanded, slamming a large fist into his desk. The two men flinched at the angered face of their boss.

"They were gone! The only thing left behind was a pair of boots. They were nowhere close either, sir." The man snarled and dropped back down into his chair, a few rings shining in the light of his single lamp on a frail hand.

"And the stone was gone as well?" the two men gulped, nodding. He sighed and touched his temple. Sometimes his men were an absolute waste of time. Thoughts like that always made him curious why he tolerated them at all.

"Check the tower for any DNA. If that fails, check those boots. We are going to find whoever took my stone." The two men nodded quickly and turned around to leave, bumping into each other in the process. The man sighed and tapped his fingers against his desk. If a pair of boots were abandoned, that meant the stone had been used. Which meant they would be like that for a year before they could change back. So in other words, they had to play the waiting game once they found who it was.

**I don't know why, but I'm not happy with this chapter ;A; something about it makes me cringe. Maybe it's the thoughts of what our mysterious villain might do. I don't mean to brag, but I'm very good at making hateable characters. So prepare for the worst. And the best at the same time! XD thanks for the encouragement you gabs.**


	3. Storms suck and so do thoughts

**Welp, chapter three. Sorry if it seems a little dull. I'm studying for finals and my brains fried. I think it's cute too. You know me and my cuteness. I don't own anything. I also apologize if 'im moving a little too fast in the story.**

"Gonna storm tonight." Sully muttered as he scooped some stew into two bowls, Nate doodling away at the table surprisingly easily with his tiny hands. It had been about four weeks since the Brazil incident; no suspicious signs of anyone following them and Nate had adjusted to being so small. His rages only lasted a few minutes now. He was used to moving a stool around whenever he needed something and if he was feeling restless would climb to get it. Sully had already snatched him off the counters multiple times that day. On a level it was funny-watching him maneuver the kitchen like it was a building. Other times something compelled Sully to move Nate off the counters whenever it looked like he was going to fall. It was strange how quickly the feeling snuck up on him.

"Hmm…" Nate responded and moved his stuff when Sully slid a steaming bowl of beef stew in front of him in that casual way that had developed over time. Sullys idea of stew was huge chunks of beef, some carrots, potatoes and there you go. Simple. Nate kept quiet while he ate, still thinking about that morning. They had gone to the grocery store in need of some necessities that they had held off for as long as they could. But Sully finally gave in and got them both out of the apartment.

**xxx**

_They entered the small store and strolled through the isles, looking for everything on their simple list as the usual bustle of the market went on with the ching of carts, the intolerable elevator music chiming softly from speakers and the occasional voice over from someone at the counter. Strolling the aisles was as dull as always; every item in the same place as last week with the different brands of multirole items set in rows below each other. Sully tapped his finger against his head to get his attention. It was annoying but it was effective-him being too small for Sully to nudge his elbow against anymore...unless the man wanted to make a jab to the side of his head._

"_Kid I'm gonna get some stuff over by the freezer. Stay here will ya?" Most people wouldn't leave a five year old alone, but Sully knew Nate could take care of himself. Besides; the kid had a strong pair of lungs and he had good hearing. Nothing would happen. He nodded when Nate lazily shrugged and leaned against the cart._

_While Sully had gone over to the freezer, Nate occupied himself by wondering around aimlessly just like always in the bakery isle, the cakes never failing to amaze him how well made they were. Sometimes he would even catch the baker bring out a fresh one-the plump woman giving him a sweet smile. It was really the only reason he joined Sully on the trip to market. Well that and the man had a massive lack of memory when it came to household items. As he had been eyeing a few chocolate donuts, a sudden jerk on his arm had him spinning/stumbling around to meet a face that honestly scared the living crap out of him. An obviously unnaturally blonde woman with crimson stained lips split in a stomach churning smile was mere centimeters away from him. Her too soft hands clasped around his face to tip his head back so he would meet her dull green eyes. Nate had never wanted to scream like the child he was so much._

"_Oh well aren't you the CUTEST thing alive!" His eyes burned from her far too strong perfume surrounding his head, ignoring her cooing and just trying to get out of her grip. He wouldn't admit it-but the attention was making his cheeks slowly warm up in embarrassment and a little bit of flattery. In his weeks as a child no one had ever said he was cute. Small? Yes. Rude? Oh yeah. But not cute. The flattery was fading fast though as people gave skeptical looks of his struggling. He kept trying to squirm out of her hold, turning down her offer of buying him a donut. The babying was completely alien to him do to his time with a middle aged man that did anything but babying and all he wanted was to get out of her grip to find-_

"_Uh…Nate?" Sullys' voice reached his ears like a savior call. 'Oh thank god!' leaked through his mind in absolute relief. The woman released his face in curiosity long enough for him to run over to Sully on short legs behind the older mans' own leg._

_He was happy to be away from the woman and close to the only person who understood what was going on. When the woman saw them together, her eyes had sparkled at the sight of Sully in a way that wasn't the usual flirtatious behavior women pointed towards him. It was something much more platonic. Innocent. Her eyes flicked back to him, that smile somehow growing. He blanched._

"_Oh, is this your daddy sweetheart?" she once again cooed. the word 'daddy' had reached Nate's brain a little too quickly-color draining from his face as if he were a pitcher. Sully bit his lip and avoided eye contact. Aaawkward... The womans smile slowly receded the longer Nate remained silent, caught completely off guard by the question and just staring at her as if she had erased any sense from his brain. The single word repeated over and over in Nates' head, his own voice starting to sink into it until it was as if he was calling, a bleak but still painful memory bouncing around his head ferociously. The three stood in the market like that for what seemed like hours-all feeling awkward. The silence was broken when Sully cleared his throat, took Nates' hand-it being the first time he didn't abject in the few attempts Sully had made earlier-and gave the woman a polite goodbye before walking back to their cart. Sully didn't try to say anything, a little surprised by how silent Nate had become._

**xxx**

So here he was at their two person table, picking at his food and discreetly studying Sully. He didn't look anything like the man…did he? He slowly scanned his eyes across Sullys face; His grey eyes and much darker hair giving off no similarities that were obvious. No. No, he didn't. So how could the woman get a conclusion as dumb as Sully being his father? His father had made a good point that he didn't want him. Admittedly-it was either Sully was his father or he was a stranger with a child. And if you put two and two together the first option is a little easier on someone's mind. Still…her assumption had shaken him up quite a bit. Being mistaken for your mentors' child was a huge shock.

He was honestly sure that when he turned into a kid Sully was just going to leave him. He wasn't the appropriate age to be a helpful protégé anymore. He was just a toddler. He still held his spirit and regular thoughts that could be beneficial. But physically-it was hopeless. He had already tried to do the climbs that he had thought were child's play before-they ended up taking him hours. His temper had flared horribly too. He was a perfectly level minded person in his teen years because he had learned to control it. As a little kid he was hot tempered and irritable. He didn't make any friend during his years there because of that.

He was a little surprised when Sully stood up and set his now empty bowl in the sink to grab a beer from the fridge and do who knows what before bed. He looked down to his own food that was most likely cold and started to wolf it down, still a little dazed from how long he had been thinking. He's over reacting to that woman. It was a simple mistake and he needed to quit thinking about it. Sully was nothing more than his mentor. He finished his food in minutes and left the kitchen to claim a spot next to Sully on the couch-who was smoking a cigar. He scrunched his nose in disgust and crossed his legs to settle in. They sat near each other-yet didn't touch- comfortably and watched some documentaries on the small TV in their den, Nates' attention completely on the documentary. Sully usually didn't tolerate them-being more of a classic movie kind of person. It was small moments like that one that made Nate relax like he never had before-small shoulders slumping and his usual sharp eyes glaze over a little. He didn't notice Sully throwing a glance at his transfixed face with a subtle glint of curiosity in his eye.

'What happened earlier sure messed the kid up…' he pondered as he felt the familiar burn of the smoke slinking into his throat to be blown back out. Even so small Nate was stubborn and always tried to be independent. It was kinda nice knowing not everything about Nate was different. He was easily embarrassed-well that wasn't really new. If someone said either the right or wrong thing, the kids' face would turn into a tomato. His temper is probably is what changed the most; small things that used to just make him frown made a frightening tantrum blow out of nowhere. It was funny the first few times to see Nates' cool and collected attitude do a three sixty when something went wrong. Over time though it got old and Sully found himself calming the kid down with light pats and muttering things like it wasn't worth the energy or he was going to bust a vessel. It strangely worked too. He would point those blue eyes at him and Sully would watch all the rage leak away, leaving embarrassment and regret. He would turn his head away and Sully would hear a sigh come from him before he muttered an apology and snap back to normal.

A low rumble got Sullys' attention, a flash of light following the rumble soon after. Well, there was that storm he mentioned. Nate paid no mind to the thunder or lightening and continued to watch the show with his keen interest that had his blue eyes catching every movement-still sharp ears listening to every word the British narrator gave. For some strange reason, a flush of something almost heavy drifted through his mind. It felt like his first night with Sully; both daring the other to make the first move to make things seem less awkward-to somehow make everything feel right on the first attempt. They had sat just like this; distant yet not really feeling threatened by each other enough to avoid one another. But at the same time they had been waiting for the other to suddenly be completely harmless. Of course that wasn't the case at all. Nate could have easily run away or knocked out Sully the first night. Sully could have snapped his neck or shot him without any trouble. they hadn't though. It probably crossed ones' mind during a bicker... But they trusted each other over time. With them it had taken serious amount patience and cautious movements for Nate to even let Sully _look _at him without stiffening and giving the older man patronizing glares. It had taken even more for Sully to let Nate finally carry a weapon on their jobs. All in all, it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies when they met.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes they weren't enemies-and were probably bordering being official friends. They had boundaries like any normal pair would that kept them from pushing their luck with eithers' trust. The only time those boundaries seem to be crossed lately were the extremely rare moments when Nate let Sully hold him. It was usually while they were in crowds but still…a rather harsh rumble made their apartment shudder. Nate frowned. Sounded bad. He mentally shrugged with the thought and continued to watch the show as Sully slid off the couch towards the kitchen for probably another beer. Both males gave a shout of surprise when a deep crack of thunder vented through the sky, a flash of lightening following after and enveloping the apartment in pitch black darkness. Ugh! The lightening must have hit a transformer! Nate growled in frustration-almost sounding like an angered puppy. He sat there in the dark fuming, the realization that it was deathly silent slowly reaching his mind. Something wasn't right. There was no string of curses followed by a small light or a thunk and some more creative curses. Just silence. Where was Sully? He didn't hear the man fall. Why wasn't he speaking? Or seeming to make any noise for that matter!

Suddenly the dark was suffocating him; the silence was pushing on his head only relieved when a few gentle rumbles echoed from the sky outside. But even with the brief noise, panic slowly sunk into his tiny body unlike any he had felt. It pushed on his chest so hard he was worried it would crush him, his heart thudding in his throat and the hairs on his arms standing on end. It was an unfamiliar type of panic that he couldn't name at all. He wasn't frightened. He wasn't anywhere near afraid of storms. But the sudden need to be out of the room for no apparent reason had him opening his mouth to call Sully, only to be silenced by his own pride. He was being stupid. Nothing was going on that hadn't before. The transformer had been struck plenty of times only to be fixed in minutes. He nearly jumped out of his shirt when a surprisingly louder crack of thunder slammed through the sky. He gave into the almost forgotten temptation to move away from his spot in hopes of finding a light source. He carefully rushed around in the darkness towards the kitchen, trying to use his mental map of the apartment to guide him-but his efforts appeared futile when his head made contact with a wall. His small rear thumped onto the carpet when the impact finally registered in his body.

"Goddamnit!" he hissed and rubbed his now throbbing forehead in annoyance, every trace of the mysterious panic gone from the single blow the head.

"Hey that's my line kid!" Sully joked from not too far in the darkness. Nate felt a scoff pass his lips. Of course Sully would say something like that at a time like this. The worries of something being wrong with Sully slipped his mind as if it were on a water slide.

"Whatever." He called, moving to his hands and knees to crawl through the house in an attempt to avoid another meeting with a wall.

"Listen kid-big shocker-but I left my lighter in my bedroom. D'you think you could get to your room and grab some of the flashlights in the closet? 'Cause your room is closer and you're a little better at moving around in the dark." His contact with the wall a moment ago said otherwise...Even so; he agreed and began to crawl through the halls, using his hands to feel for any obstacles before he moved every time he felt like he was nearing one. He ignored a little voice in his head that said he was being awfully childish crawling around like he was. Yes it was out of character for him-but it somehow felt right. It was one of those feelings he really couldn't pinpoint but knew it was there. He could have sworn he heard trumpets when he finally made it to his messy bedroom and carefully moved through the books-some open-and clothes that were sprawled across the floor towards his closet that held a few things Sully kept for situations like this-and worse. He pawed around for the handle until the cool touch of medal told him all he needed. He tugged the door open the same moment another rumble growled in the sky. Nate dug through the closet, not entirely sure what he was grabbing at and flinging things in no particular direction.

"Ah!" he quietly cheered when his small hand wrapped around the cylinder base of a flashlight. "There you are!" he pulled the light source out of the once neat closet. It was definitely a mess after his rushed searching. He pushed the little sliding switch up and was rewarded with the yellowish beam of light. He grinned as he moved it around the room, curing his blindness on a small level. 'Now to get Sully…' he tromped through the halls towards the kitchen with a lighter step.

"Nice job kid." Sully praised when Nate came through the kitchen entrance, grunting as he jokingly shined the light in his face.

"Made a mess of the closet. I'll get it later though." Sully nodded and led them both back to the living room where they just sat, the flashlight sitting on the coffee table like a candle. Every now and then a few rounds of light thunder would rear its head, but other than that Nate found himself in a less strangling kind of silence. He and Sully lounged on the couch as they waited for whoever the hell fixed the transformer after the storms in boredom. It was too dark to read or draw, so Nate had nothing else to do but stare blankly at the wall in front of him. What was so different from this silence to the other? He had been swallowed in darkness for one…but there was something much deeper than a simple disturbance to the darkness. What he had experienced had never happened before. A little figment of his brain whispered that he was giving into being a child. In return he made a metal image of his middle finger.

He was anything but a child. The stone that rested in its hiding place was a screwy, freaky thing and if he didn't need to change back he would have already chucked it somewhere it couldn't be found. He knew it was going to be a long year. it was something he was going to live with. The panic was a mysterious add on to his change. Even though his metal state was never touched, maybe his emotions had been. No. Emotions were linked to the brain weren't they? Err. He was going to _break_ his brain if he kept thinking like he was.

"You awake kid?" Sully spoke up after what felt like hours of silence.

"mmhmm." Nate mumbled, suddenly feeling drowsy as if Sullys' words made his consciousness start to fade. What was taking those guys so long? Nate didn't really know what time it was-their few clocks being of no use. The need of sleep crept up on him like a snake. You had no idea it was there until it finally had you. He let his lids slide shut, his mind hazing over into the crevices of sleep. He was vaguely aware of a pair of arms wrapping around him and being placed in soft sheets, every gentle movement bringing another memory to buzz into his sleep induced skull…

_A faceless woman with a soft voice whispered loving nothings to him, everything about her beautiful even with her lack of physical features. He felt so loved as she gingerly traced her fingers against his nose, his eyelids and cupping his cheek in her hand. The contentment and tranquility he felt was so wonderful it was almost drunkening. He had never experienced being so light before in his seventeen years of life that he could remember. The woman cradled him closer, her whispers more dignifying than cooing and her gentle swaying pulling him deeper into sleep. Who was she? What was she to him? All he knew is that felt a tremendous amount of love, unconsciously cuddling closer to her embrace, the thumping of her heart putting his own deeper into ease. He was sure he could hear the soft rhythmic ting of a music box too. Her scent was something he was certain he had smelled before, but couldn't quiet put his finger on it. Her warmth was like the one the stone possessed before it transformed him. It was like being in a soft blanket; so soft. Comforting. It was too good to be tr_-Nate let out a slurred 'what the-'before his body met the carpeted floor. He groaned. He had fallen out of bed again. What was it, like the fifth time? God, he was worried he'd need a baby gate soon if he kept it up. He muttered a few rather creative phrases and pushed himself off the floor, the dream already starting to evade his mind.

When did he fall asleep? All he remembered was being bored and needing to close his eyes. He sighed and stretched his arms towards the ceiling, letting a massive yawn pass his lips. It was then that he realized he wasn't in _his _room; the neater, plainer room with only a few items on the dresser giving him all he needed. He was in Sullys' room. The realization had him flushing a deep red and finally hearing the regular sound of dishes clunking. Was it really that late when he fell asleep? They had only been sitting around about an hour and they ate about eight. Why would Sully…? Bah. He wasn't going to think about it. It wasn't worth the effort. It was too early in the morning. Besides, it was a one-time thing. Just like many other events it would be blown over between them. With his anxiety cleared, he scratched his head and padded out of the room towards the kitchen, the dream secretly leaving some lightness in his heart.

**Neeeh! How many of you caught on to what just happened? None? YOU FOOLS! Lol, I'm just kidding. But I'm serious; somethin' just happened and Nate was out for all of it! XD it's once again late and I need to go to school tomorrow. I don't learn do I? luvs.**


	4. a day at the fair, i guess

**Here's chapter 4. I like this one I don't why but I do. err-me so tired!**

"I hope this is some sick joke." Nate muttered as Sully parked their car the last place he ever expected or wanted. A fair. They drove for half an hour for that? He had made it perfectly clear he disliked fairs. Because at every fair there was a clown prowling somewhere. If he hated them at seventeen, it sure wasn't going to change when he was five. And being in the position he was in didn't help at all. He may have adjusted to his change, but that didn't mean he wasn't any less pissed off about it. Sully chuckled and exited the car without a word, Nate grudgingly undoing his seatbelt to follow, trotting after his mentor towards the entrance of the fair. The sun was shining brightly without a single cloud in the sky to stop it on the late summer day. The toddler couldn't stop the scowl that etched into his face when Sully slipped his larger hand into his smaller one to clasp them together as they walked towards the entrance. He thought Sully knew better than to baby him; then again the older male had been slipping farther from listening when it came to this whole thing of him being five for a while now. It had been about a month and a half now since the incident and things were pretty normal aside from moments like this one when Sully would do things out of the ordinary.

He wouldn't say anything when he did them either; he would just do it and freak Nate out more than he knew. Sullys' babying was subtle though. More considerate-less hovering. Nothing like what random women would do to him if he fell out of Sullys' sight even a second wherever they went. The scowl on his round face stayed solid as they entered the crowded and chaotic park, screams of glee coming from a few roller coasters, concession stands every corner, a few games booths, even a small souvenir tent...and was that a haunted house? It wasn't very crowded considering the school year was starting to sneak in in the later weeks of August-parents getting a few more trips with their children before school started and took eight hours out of their lives. Nate was curious why they were there; they weren't meeting Jon. The man had quit working at the fair a good six months ago when he was offered a job in some sort of business Sully wouldn't tell him the name of.

"Sully, what are we doing here? Jon doesn't work here anymore." He finally voiced his thoughts as he experienced deja vu when they maneuvered through the thinner but still harsh crowds.

"I know." Sully casually responded. The vague answer irked Nate; he liked it so much better when Sully was brutally blunt. It was so much easier to just get to the point of things.

"Then what are we doing here?" he slowly asked this time, irritation lacing his tone a little more than he planned. His eyes caught a flash of polka dots and reflexively, his small hand tightened on Sullys'. He knew exactly what that flash was. He really didn't need a scare right now. He felt strangely cranky and didn't want to draw an attention by kicking a stranger dressed in some freaky costume in the shin.

"I figured you could use a day out of the apartment." Nate tried to stop, but Sully being larger nearly dragged him a few inches against the pavement before Nate tugged on his arm. His grey eyes focused on the five year old with that soft amusement that he had seen since he met the man. It irritated him and relaxed him at the same time.

"You're joking. Look, Sully-this stupid age thing doesn't change what I do. I was perfectly fine lying around the apartment. I did all the time before our trip." Sully shrugged in a careless and casual way that Nate knew he would do. It meant it didn't affect their plans. It meant he knew that Nate would go alone anyway. And he was…as long as he avoided that clown.

"That may be true. But I saw you squirmin' a few times. I just thought I'd wear you out for a day." Nate frowned but concluded that there wasn't any way out of the ridiculous plan Sully made except just agreeing. Sometimes that was the only choice. The man could be very stubborn when he wanted to. It was one of the few things that Nate couldn't predict about him. So he rolled his icy blue eyes and puffed his chubby cheeks as he started walking again, Sully still having a firm grip on his hand.

"Whatever." He sighed. This was going to be a long day. Just like the year. Ugh-he hated that stupid stone lying on his dresser. Sometimes he would lie awake in bed and stare at it, wanting it to suddenly turn back red so he could just get back to normal. Of course it never did. He wondered why he kept it right by his bed. It just taunted him all hours of the day every time he entered his room. He didn't know. He couldn't really count on common reality; it kind of proved to be iffy in certain places. Eh. It never really bet in his favor anyway. Maybe he was over thinking things. Again. He was so enthralled in his thoughts that he bumped into Sully when the man unexpectedly stopped. He followed Sullys' gaze to a rather tall looking rollercoaster, screams coming from it as the cart barreled down the slope in a quick but probably nerve wracking motion. He glanced at Sully. What was that old man thinking?

"Kid have you ever been a on a rollercoaster?" Nate scoffed. What a ridiculous question; he spent a good chunk of his life on the streets of a poor town avoiding cops and slipping cash to get himself something to eat. No. he had never been on a rollercoaster. Cartagena didn't have fairs like the ones in America; people dressed in weird costumes and ate specific foods and kids decorated shit. There wasn't a single ride. To him they seemed like a waste of time anyway. You were thrusted forward, twisted around and scared to death all in ten seconds. He didn't understand the excitement about them.

"No." his answer made Sully turn his head to him with a small grin. Uh-oh. Nate dug his feet into the ground the moment Sully took his first step. He bored his blue eyes into Sullys' grey ones as a warning-no more like a threat. No way in hell was he going to let Sully drag him onto one of those things. Besides wasn't he too small? He had never seen a five year old get off one of those rides so what made Sully think he could get on? The middle aged man sighed. "Kid, relax. There are smaller ones."

"Screw that. Small or huge I don't wanna go on one. They're stupid." Sully developed another facial expression that Nate was familiar with. Sully would raise an eyebrow and somehow cock his mustache a little to the side to make a face that said 'you're joking right?' but he wasn't joking. Standing off to that face meant enforcing a challenge. So let the butting of heads begin! Apparently Sully wasn't in the mood to play their usual mind games. He just placed both of his hands around Nates' little waist and hoisted him up right on his shoulders, chuckling as the mentally seventeen year old flailed and cursed on the way up.

"Agh! Sully put me down!" Sully shook his head as he gently gripped Nates' legs and resumed walking, ignoring the childs' thumps to his head. It was hard to get a rise out of Nate-his rages long forgotten-but one thing for sure was that he didn't like being picked up. He tried to find any and every way to get out of someone's hold. He flailed when women picked him up to coo at him as well. For some reason the kid hated being picked up. Part of Sully believed it showed him how small he truly was. Sully could snatch him up easily at seventeen, but it was almost effortless as a five year old. Maybe that's what got him so hyped up. He just let a lazy smirk stay on his face as he strolled through the crowd, Nate muttering grumpily but acting like he was done fighting. Something was going through the little boys' mind though; something vague. He felt strangely fine of on Sullys' shoulders. Almost comfortable. Like he had done it before. An image of two faceless people and him brushed in his mind, him on the males' shoulders, all three of them smiling as if the world couldn't touch them. It lacked so much detail yet it made his stomach twinge with sadness and confusion. The sudden change of atmosphere had his little hands twining in Sullys' slick hair, biting his lip to keep it from quivering. Why did those people make him feel the way he was? He couldn't really remember much from his childhood because well…for one he was reliving it and second too many blows to the head from his own mis-calculations left his long term memory kinda fuzzy.

"You alright kid?"

"Yeah. Just fine." He replied absently, already forgetting what Sully asked. His memory was something he never relied on; he would forget what was needed and remember small things that didn't matter. That's why he wrote in his journal. It enabled him to remember what something was or what he was doing. Because if someone told him something and asked him three days later, he wouldn't be able to answer. It was an embarrassing secret that not even Sully knew. He flinched when Sullys' hands suddenly gripped his waist again to set him back on the ground, the two of them in front of a smaller coaster. Sully grinned and led them to the front car, chuckling when Nate squirmed a little in his seat. A teen around eighteen grumbled something about keeping your hands in and blah blah. Nate made one last attempt to flee by trying to jump out of his seat before Sully could pull the bar down. Of course he failed. So he glared at Sully as the car started to move forward, flushing with frustration at Sullys' proud smirk. Damn old man. He just loves doing this.

Nate sighed when the car slowly arched upwards, not really sure why people got so excited. Really, it was as boring as their drive there! Why would this be such a big deal? He got his answer when his eyes landed on the scenery before him-the entire fair from above- for a split second, feeling all his weight be lurched down as the car slid with the steep slope. He couldn't stop the terrified scream that tore out of him if he wanted to, his little arms slinking around Sullys' bicep in absolute fear and the wind whipping his rather shaggy hair around. He clenched his eyes shut through every sharp turn and sudden peak up, holding onto Sully for dear life with no trust in his cheap seatbelt. Every dip down tore a short scream out of him, not being the only one. But what reached his ears the most was Sullys' laughter through the entire thing. If he weren't so frightened he'd punch him! There was no word glorious enough to describe his relief when the car finally screeched to a stop right where it had started, people hurriedly getting off on shaky legs or in fits of laughter. Nate though-he just kept his little arms wrapped around Sully, not quite sure if his legs even worked after that. Sully chuckled and carefully lifted him out of the car with him, patting his shoulder and placing him back on the ground.

"I really hate you right now." Nate breathed, even with his statement gripping his little hand around Sullys', stumbling along with him on jello-like legs. At the same time he felt an undeniable thrill drain from his body the farther away they walked from the coaster. It may have scared him senseless, but it sent the biggest dose of adrenaline that he'd felt in a long time through his little body into almost a buzz. A tiny bit of him wanted to go again! But he and Sully went a couple more less traumatic rides like a Farris wheel (which bored them both intensely.) They wormed through the shrinking crowd towards a row of concession stands, the smell of cooking meat and bread getting stronger the closer they got. Nates' stomach growled in response. Huh. Guess he shouldn't have skipped lunch…as is Sully read his mind, the middle aged man scooped him up again-without his objections-and ordered him a burger. While they sat at a picnic table-Nate taking too big bites of criminally greasy burger-Sully kept staring at him with a smirk on his face that had Nate slowing his chews.

"What?" he snipped after swallowing a mouthful of food. Sully shrugged and set his elbows against the splintering wood.

"You sure screamed on the ride." Nate scowled. He should have known Sully would tease him. He had been waiting for it. In fact he was a little surprised Sully didn't start up as soon as they got off the coaster.

"Shut up." Sully chuckled at the regular response, still watching Nate stuff the remnants of his sandwich between his already chubby cheeks. He couldn't help but notice how Nates' eyes seemed a little brighter than they had in the beginning of the whole age ordeal. It had shaken him up more than he cared to show-and Sully was sure all the coddling he got from other people didn't help. All the times he had to get the kid out of some random womans' hold were still going strong in his memory. The kids' ego was slowly receding every day as a toddler. He sighed and stood up, motioning Nate to follow. The crowds were finally thin enough for Sully to let Nate walk on his own, all the families with small children heading home for who knows why. Boredom was sneaking up on Nate until something caught his eye.

A game tent. With a pistol. Just like his. A pleased grinned stretched across his face as he put two and two together. He just found the highlight of his day.

"Hey Sully. Could we head over there?"

When Nate leaped onto the stool, the game tent owner smiled at him and leaned over the edge. The man was around his late thirties with a black goatee and a pair of harmless brown eyes.

"What can I do for ya kid?" he asked. Nate grinned in eagerness.

"I want to take a shot." The man chuckled but agreed, Nate handing him the dollar Sully-who was watching from the side- gave him. The pistol felt just a little large in his smaller hands. It felt familiar and fitting though. It was nice to hold a gun again.

"Alright, you just have to shoot those moving ducks. Got it?" Nate nodded, placing his finger over the trigger, his eyes zeroing in on the still ducks and ready to begin a game he knew he'd do well on. Irritating circus music bursted through the overhead speakers the same moment the ducks started moving forwards in a straight line. Nates' reflex had him pulling the trigger right when a duck moved in his sight, shooting one after another, never missing a single one. His perfect shots drew peoples' attention the longer he went, Sully smirking from the side. By the time Nate had stopped, he had shot every duck on the assembly line and drawn the attention of half the park.

"Wow, um…I guess you should just pick any one of the prizes you want." Nate frowned. Hmm…he hadn't thought about the prizes. He had just wanted to shoot something again. He had been itching to use his pistol again ever since Sully told him it wasn't exactly legal for a five year old to carry a loaded He shrugged and skimmed over the prizes anyway, his eyes not really hunting for anything. But when his big blue eyes caught a medium sized salt and pepper teddy bear with a little green hat hanging limply behind a huge pink elephant, he felt a little smile cross his lips. He wasn't a huge stuffed animal person-but he liked the bear. He wasn't sure why. He pointed at it.

"What about that?" the man craned his head to look behind the obnoxious elephant. An 'oh' look passed his face before he reached up with his hook to pluck the bear off the line and right into Nates' waiting arms.

"You're the first to notice ol' Sully up there." Nate had to bite his lip near its breaking point to keep his laughter. Sully, huh? "Poor guys' always ignored." Nate hesitantly squeezed the bear, its soft fur brushing against his cheek and its body almost molding with his. He grinned at the man before he slid off the stool to find the other Sully. He was going to have some with this…

"Thanks." He called over his shoulder to the man before being swallowed by the crowd. Sully was waiting for him off the side, raising an eyebrow at the bear in his arms.

"Didn't take you for a toy kind of kid." Nate smirked and studied the black button eyes of the bear, feeling strangely content with it.

"You wanna know what that guy called him?"

"Why not. Tell me."

"Sully!"

"You're pullin' my leg!"

"Nope! Meet you're twin brother!" Sully rolled his eyes and took Nates' free hand, starting to walk towards the exit after he noticed how sluggish Nate was getting.

"You're not gonna call it that are you?"

"Why not? I'll just call em' M.S so you two don't answer at the same time!" Nate laughed at his own joke, failing to remove the grin from his face even when they made it to their car.

"Ha-ha. I think you got that just to screw with me." Sully shot back, buckling Nate and…Minnie Sully in. Seriously, that bear was kind weirding him out. The kid couldn't have picked a different name? Nate wanted to respond with another stupid joke, but it was cut off by a yawn passing his lips-all the walking and his greasy burger finally getting to his little five year old body. His eyes drooped shut just as Sully slammed the driver door and started the car into a gentle purr. Sully glanced at him, some sort of quirk to his mouth. It wasn't a smile, but it wasn't a frown. The kid was kind of…cute when his guard was down. The poker face that Sully had trained him to use drained away to leave the innocence of a childs' face in sleep, his little fingers lightly clutching onto that damn bears' fur. Yeah he was kind of cute. He saw what all of those women saw. Not that he'd ever say it to the kids' face. He had enough issues with every single woman in the city grabbing at him to just embarrass more than already was.

Nah…Sully was gonna keep his little moment of admittance to himself. Besides, the kid would have tried to skin him alive if he told him.

**Lol somewhere XD**

"Did you find anything?" our Irish mystery man demanded towards his two men. They carefully shook their heads, flinching when their boss slammed his fist onto his desk again.

"S-sir, boots don't carry very much DNA and there wasn't really anything that would could use in the tower." One murmured, preparing himself for another our burst. But instead he miraculously took a calming breath and leaned back in his chair.

"I would appreciate it if you looked again-this time scouring the ENTIRE tower. If that doesn't work, we'll start asking locals what they have seen. Because we are finding the pair of fools that think they can use MY stone and get away with it! NOW GO!" his bellow had both men stumbling over each other to get out of their bosses office and back to the tower to see if they had missed anything.

The man sighed and twirled in his chair. Whoever these mystery people were-they weren't going to be treated lightly when he found them.

**Uhhhhh-it's midnight, I'm tired, full, and filled to brim with inspiration. I'm just not sure if you guys want another continuation of a goddamn angel. But that fics my obsession and I don't know why! Maybe something on the happier side of it? Lemme sleep on it. Well, another chapter for Sullys' secret. Lol Minnie Sully! :3 goodnight.**


	5. hating halloween alot

**Chapta 5! Lol I need to submit a bunch of drawings I've made for baby Nate! But I just keep holding it off until I forget! XD enough of my babbling time to read :D**

Nate had learned to tolerate his lack of ability due to his…predicament. But one thing was for sure, he couldn't-and wouldn't-EVER allow someone to push him around. Sully knew this fairly well so it would make you wonder why the man took him to a community park! Filled with kids of all ages screaming and playing games Nate never bothered to learn in his lifetime who would expect him to act the same way. But he won't. So he sat in a little spot underneath a tree, the late October season making it cool and musky, leaves already changing color and falling to the grass. It had been a shocking two whole months since Brazil, still no sign of the mysterious man that had yet to have a face in Nates' mind. The buzz of summer was long gone, the start of the school year starting to fade into peoples' routines once again. Except for Nates' of course.

But he knew that he and Sully would need to get a jump start on jobs again though. He sketched random things in his notebook, ignoring the screams and laughter of other children while he enjoyed the park the only way he really could. Sully was long gone. Probably got occupied by some single mother. Nate smirked at his own thought, doodling a little cartoon of Sully gawking at a cigar on a fishhook. He kind of wished he had Minnie Sully with him; he had grown to like the little bear more than he wanted to, developing a habit of setting it next to him whenever he read or drew, honestly liking the feel of something always next to him. He even dared to admit he had slept with its' head crooked under his neck a few times. Sully hated the thing. He wasn't sure why. It was fun to screw with him though.

Nate wasn't one for toys; not even as a normal five year old. But he truly liked the bear and enjoyed having it around; its little green hat looking like it belonged on its head like his necklace around his neck. He squirmed in the dry grass, the prickle of it against his bare calves making him itchy. He tapped his pencil against a fresh page of his notebook in thought, the clear sky seeming to be his main focus. He had felt restless the past few days; not the skittish kind he felt his first week with Sully but more like he had to move around a lot more. He never felt that way as a teen. But as a teen he could climb out of his window freely and run about until breakfast without any struggles. Now, he could barely get his leg out the window before Sully snatched him up. Something was awfully different about Sullys' behavior. It was hard to give it a name but it was there. The man seemed to have almost grown into a riled up attitude. Sully was a very mellow and level minded person, but lately he had been jumpy and hovering. He hardly let him out of his sight anymore!

Nate could understand on a level; he was younger and more vulnerable and needed to stop doing some of his old habits that had put his well-being in danger even before his transformation. But Sully had developed a very bad quirk of holding his hand or setting him on his shoulders when they went places. It was embarrassing. Of course to others' eyes it was normal. With Nate though, his pride was taking an awful bruising every time Sully made a reach for him and treat him like the child his body became. He jumped when-speak of the devil- Sullys' hands pressed under his arms to lift him up. Nate had stopped fighting a long time ago. It was just easier to leave it than cause a scene everywhere they went. But to his horror it wasn't Sully that picked him up; it was a woman. Well, more like a college student. 'Aw fuck me…' he mentally groaned just as a smile split on her face.

"My goodness you're adorable! What are you doing over here all alone?" She cooed, running a thumb over his cheek. Ugh-this never stopped. There were kids cuter than him, why couldn't they bother _them_! really-he would appreciate the lack of attention.

"Ahh…"

"Why don't you play hide and seek with me and my brother? You'd have fun, sweetie!" 'Sweetie…' made him love the fact Sully called him kid. Speaking of which where was that old cook? He could really use the help. He pulled away the closer her face got. Personal space, lady!

"I'm actually waiting for someone." He mumbled-squirming in hopes she would put him down. She rose and eyebrow and sadly cocked him onto her hip, not taking his signals of being let down getting to her brain.

"Oh? Do want some help looking for them? Strangers could just scoop you up when you're all alone." She playfully pinched his cheek and started to stroll across the field to the playground. Dignity shrinking…again. He felt heat cross his cheeks as she started asking him what his 'someone' looked like, hardly getting anything out of him. After about five minutes she sighed and turned to him.

"Sweetie I can't help you if you don't tell me what they look like!" he shrugged and finally wormed out of her hold to land on the tires of the playground.

"That's fine. I can find them on my own." She giggled as if the funniest thing anyone had ever said she bent down to his level, her shirt showing a little too much skin to be anywhere close to classy.

"Sweetie; Little boys like you can't just wander around in hopes of finding someone." She said every word slowly lie he was stupid, making his temper flare. Instead of acting on it, he whipped around and sprinted away as fast as legs could take him. He could hear her call him back, but he kept running until she was out of sight. Little boy! Tch-little nothing. God he wished the year was over already. He was so tired of being the victim of single womans' motherly attention and losing every ounce of pride he held. At least Sully attempted to hold back on every kind of coddling. He jumped for the second time when hands once again found a place underneath his arms. He opened his mouth to yell only to be silenced by a voice that he had hoped to hear earlier.

"C'mon kid-I think I've tortured ya enough here." Nate gladly let Sully set him on his shoulders as they headed home. The walk wasn't long, the sun starting to settle as it faded into early evening. Nate rested his chin on his mentors' head and started to notice people carrying large bags of candy, decorations or costumes. A thought suddenly spurred his mind.

"Hey Sully. Is today Halloween?" he asked, twisting his head to try to look at Sullys' face, unknowingly making the middle aged man smirk when big blue eyes met grey ones.

"Yep. Why, you wanna go trick or treating or somethin?"

"Gi-No! I was just wondering 'cause people are walking around with stuff you see during Halloween!" Nate playfully smacked Sullys' head, feeling the man shake with a chuckle. Nate had never gone trick or treating; and frankly he didn't want to. Sully had explained the whole thing to him the first year it came up in his time with Sully. He wasn't a fan of dressing up and going to strangers' doors to ask for a piece of candy for an entire night. To the two of them, it was just another night. Take-out and a movie was a decent Halloween for them.

Sully unlocked the door to their apartment and set Nate on his feet so he could get a beer. Nate trotted off his to his bedroom to retrieve M.S. He gave the grey bear a quick hug, snuggling his face into its fur. Okay-maybe he liked the bear a lot more than he'd admit. He crawled underneath his bed into a cluttered mess of lost drawings and forgotten books, looking for a specific box he kept underneath his mess of a bed. He now hid the stone in said box because of the way he couldn't sleep with it right on his nightstand. So in a fit of frustration one night he shoved it in a box with many other coins and rocks and stowed it away under his bed. Every once in a while he would crawl under with Minnie Sully to look at the stone for no particular reason. It was just a quirk now; hoping every day that it will suddenly red and all he would have to do was wait for a full moon. But it wasn't that easy. His life never was!

"Kid?" Sullys' shoes flashed into Nates' sight as the man entered his bedroom, rapping his knuckles against the side of the door as signal he was in. Sully walked around in confusion of not finding the little boy. He frowned and rubbed his neck. He could of sworn he saw Nate walk down the hall to his room. Maybe he went to the restroom. He jumped when he felt something grab onto his ankle with surprising pressure and try to pull him to ground, making him stumble when he took a step.

"What the hell?" He muttered, bending down to look under the sheet of covers to find the smirking face of Nate, that damn bear right next to him. Sully made that face again; that 'really?' face. It only made Nates' smirk into a bashful grin, starting to shake with muffled snickers.

"Very funny, kid. Now c'mon out of there." Nate bit his lip to fight off the grin as he shook his head and wiggled deeper into the carpet. He wasn't sure what overcome him to act so silly-but he was feeling playful and why not? It was Halloween. Sully raised an eyebrow and looked at Nates' chubby face that was flushed from the heat underneath and split into a grin that was all mischief and play. He could stop his own smirk when he understood what the child was doing. He shrugged and pretended to get up, only to dive under the bed before Nate knew what was happening. He usually would never play along with something like what Nate was pulling, but he figured it was alright to give in for once. A childish squeal squeaked past Nates' throat as Sully wormed his way to him and wrapped his arms around the little boy, accidently brushing his thumb against his ear. His soft spot.

Nate was horribly ticklish behind his ear and always avoided contact there because of it. Sully would sometimes sneak up behind him and brush his spot just to watch him jump or squirm. A small giggle reached Sullys' ears as he found a way out from under Nates' bed without letting go of him. He sighed a chuckle and released Nate who grinned at him before crawling back under to pull M.S out and set the bear back onto his bed. Sully pushed himself up to his feet and patted Nates' head, the impulsive playfulness out of their system.

"C'mon kid. Time to eat somethin'"

Xx

Sully lounged on their lumpy couch and channel surfed, a half empty box of pizza resting on the coffee table along with bottles of beer or soda. Nate sat next to him chewing mouthfuls of food while he watched the flicker of different faces and moments each time Sully changed the channel. It was already dark out and people were throwing parties for Halloween, so music and voices thumped through the thin dividers between the rooms. They were both pretty good at ignoring the commotion, having caused plenty themselves when some of Sullys' 'friends' got too angry. There was once a man name Jerry that came around when Nate had a solid year of time with Sully. He had been a husky man with a lack of control overt volume of his voice and constantly haggled Nate for his size. About his fourth visit Jerry and Sully had gotten into an argument after Jerry asked him why he tolerated Nate. Except in a much ruder way. Of course Nate reacted by calling the man stupid gorilla and pissed him off. Let's just say it ended with many items broken, a busted wrist for Nate, and a dented pan for Sully. It wasn't a good night.

Sully finally stopped a channel that was holding a horror movie special for Halloween, a Saw marathon on at the time. Nate winced as a man was trapped between two spiked walls and his screams became gurgled the deeper the spikes dug into his body, every gruesome detail shown proudly. He suddenly didn't really want any more food. Sully made a face of disgust but didn't so much as flinch the longer it went on. He looked almost bored. Nate on the other hand, every moment of gore made him sicker and sicker to his stomach to the point he had to look away and take deep breaths to keep himself from vomiting, the actors' screams of terror and pain still piercing his ears. The creepy music chilling his spine and making goosebumps rise on his skin. He didn't like horror movies; even as a teen he couldn't sit through graphic displays of murder or deformed creatures. He never told Sully though. He sucked it up and played bored teen through them, inwardly flinching when he watched them.

He jumped when a blood curdling scream came from the television when a woman started getting sawed in half. Nate felt his face pale at the way her organs spilled out and her face was filled with agony and fear. Okay he couldn't take anymore! No more! He hurriedly slid off the couch and started moving towards his room.

"I'm going to bed Sully. Goodnight."

"Night kid." Sully muttered, waving a hand over the chair. Nate rushedly changed into his oversized shirt and shorts for pajamas to practically sprint to his dark room and leap into the soft sheets, seeking out Minnie Sully in the darkness and wrapping his arms around the soft bear as he snuggled into the blankets, clenching his eyes shut to will himself to sleep. But he could still hear the roar of chainsaws and screams from the other room. God he hated horror movies. He pressed Minnie Sully to his chest, slowly fading into sleep as the warmth of the sheets made him drowsy. They were just movies…nothing else….

_Xx_

_Fear; that was the only thing coursing through his body as he sprinted through seemingly endless halls, failing to escape the whispers of an unseen being that followed his every step. His face was drenched in his wet, yet he felt freezing. 'Leave me alone, leave me alone!' he thought, taking every turn he could to evade them. At first, he thought he had lost them, hearing no more whispers. But he somehow plummeted through the floor into another part of the endless place. His heart was like a hummingbird and he couldn't get himself to take an even breath, butchered dead bodies every way he looked, the floor covered with old and fresh blood. Where was he? Why was this happening? He whimpered and backed away from the pile of bodies right in front of him only to bump into more. He curled up so his knees were touching his chin and twisted his hands through his sweat drenched hair, letting panic swirl into the fear. He carefully opened his eyes when footsteps echoed through the air-light and slow. His breath kicked up even more notches when a faceless man in a suit walked out of the darkness, wielding a professionally cut knife that glimmered brilliantly in what little light was around._

"_Wh-what do you want? Why am I here?" he whispered, staying in his position as the faceless mans' head tipped in his direction. The man didn't say anything as he almost floated over to him. A white gloved hand gently brushed sweaty hair out of his face-the touch was cold as ice. It was frightening but…comforting at the same time. The man cocked his featureless head and set his cold hand on his face. _

"_To become harvest." The man somehow murmured- his touch suddenly no longer gentle as he gripped onto his arm with bruising strength to wrench him off the ground and into the air._

"_H-harvest?" He choked, clutching at the gloved hand that held his shirt. _

"_Yessss." A malicious grin split across the mans' empty face, sharp teeth gleaming with threatening intensity. Blue eyes were covered by clenched eyelids as fear reared its head again. He whimpered again as his heart pounded away and the knife brushed across his cheek._

"_I'll make it quick, little one." The man growled, burying the sharp knife right in to his stomach and allowing crimson liquid to soak his shirt. A shout of agony tore out of him and-_

Nate shot up and screamed out of pure terror, wrapping his arms around his sides to stop the blood from gushing out of the wound that wasn't there. He gave another short scream as a shadowed figure bursted into his room with a gun. It was that faceless man! He burrowed under the covers, involuntary tears leaking down his face. He didn't want to die!

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" a slightly groggy voice bellowed.

"Go away!" he whimpered, wishing he had a place to hide. He heaved quick and short breaths of absolute panic and horror. There was a clunk as something hit the floor followed by the bow of the mattress as extra weight was added. Nate wiggled away from the weight to escape whatever awful shadow was sent to finish him off. He jerked as he felt something touch his back, its warmth seeping through his blanket.

"Kid…" Sully sighed, his own heart slowing when he realized what just happened. Nate hesitantly peaked his head out from under the sheets, showing big blue eyes filled with fear and a tear stained face. Sully rested his hand on the frightened childs' head to feel his hair was soaked of sweat. Nate came fully out of the covers and curiously poked at his stomach. No blood. No endless room. No faceless man. It was all a nightmare. His mind still held the memory so strongly that he didn't care what Sully thought as he moved over to the man to wrap his little arms around as much of his mentors' torso as he could and pressed his face into Sullys' clothe covered chest, scared and shaking.

'Well hell-guess he really is freaked out…' Sully pondered and awkwardly rubbed Nates' back as he calmed himself down. Nates' slowing breathing filled the silence that still had a ring of the chaos that happened just a moment ago. Nate snuggled deeper into Sullys' embrace, the solid 'thump' of his heart helping him calm down. They sat in the darkness as Sully held his small protégé in awkward comfort, having never been so tender to him.

"It's alright, kid." He murmured and patted Nates' back. "Relax."

"Sully…?" Nate mumbled, twisting his little hand into Sullys' wife beater with almost desperate tint in the motion.

"Yeah?"

"Don't go. Stay-please." He whimpered. Sully bit his lip as a strange twinge went through his stomach. It was the first time the kid ever sounded as vulnerable as he looked. He had never asked for something like that before-he was always so independent and willing to be felt alone. God what did he dream of? Sully was filled with indecision; he could do what Nate asked and handle the embarrassment in morning, or refuse and let the kid forget about it. The first choice won.

Sully sighed and stood up to walk through their black apartment to his room, gently laying Nate down into the covers before he climbed in as well, watching Nate slink towards him until his little head was right under his chin and his hand was twisted into the fabric of his wife beater again. It seemed like Nate had forgotten about his dignity at the time. Sully puffed his cheeks and closed his eyes, his body loosening as the tension of hearing Nates' scream finally left his body. The kid scared him shitless. It looked like Nate was just as scared. Sully set his arm over Nates' little body and inched into sleep, mentally sighing when Nate managed to snuggle deeper into his embrace. Maybe Nate wasn't as strong minded as he wanted to show.

**THE CUTENESS! Lol I scared myself writing the dream. Don't worry Nate-even though I can handle a gory game I can't make it through a single saw movie without turning it off. Awww, Sully :3 You have no idea what's gonna happen. But neither do you guys! XD alright, til next time. Goodbye.**


	6. too tired to think of a title

**Chapter 6; whooo! I'm tired and I don't know why? :D**

Nate puffed a breath of air and grinned when a cloud of vapor greeted him in the motion. It was November and freezing cold. Not the type that brings soft pillows of white snow or even freezing rain; no it was a dry and bitter kind of cold that had people scrambling to get where they needed to just so they could avoid the harsh wind. So the fact it was so chilly made you wonder why he was standing on the balcony of his and Sullys' apartment, the middle aged man inside doing who knows what. Nate shivered and pulled up his hood as a hard gush of wind bit at his exposed and muc more sensitive skin. The sky was a light grey with the sun fighting off the clouds to make a feeble appearance once in a while. Blue eyes skimmed over the sky as Nate leaned on the bar of the balcony while he stood on a chair-the hustle and bustle of their city home going on below him. Three months. Nine more to go. It had become almost an afterthought now to think of how long he had as a child left, his life starting to convert into a system that worked well with him being a five year old.

It was almost second nature to get a stool to use the sink or have Sully help him reach for something in the kitchen. Sully. Something had changed in the man through the short months Nate had been a child. Yet he still couldn't name it. Something Nate was pretty sure had changed in him too. As much as he hated to think about it; Nate had started sleeping in Sullys' bed all the time after the nightmare incident in October. Neither of them mentioned it of course but Sully always made some sort of face when Nate climbed into bed with him. It wasn't annoyance but…it was something Nate had never seen on his face before.

He never objected-in fact Nate had woken up a few times against Sullys' back or chest when he would go to sleep a good foot away from the man. It was strange Sully never teased him about it in the morning at any time; it was like an every night do and forget ritual between them. It was also…kinda nice. Going to bed knowing there'd be someone with you soon. It made him feel secure and warm with the thought Sully was only a few feet away instead of when he went on jobs and his mentor could be anywhere when they separated. Ever since Sully had taken him in he had softened-fading from that distant teenage runaway to an awkwardly loyal protégé. That fateful day in Columbia seemed so long ago when it was barely three years in the past. It was strange how quickly time flew. That brought the question of how long Nate would be around the man. Surely he wasn't planning on staying by his side for too long. Nate still wasn't over the fact Sully didn't bail out the moment he became so small and helpless.

Maybe his mentors' loyalty was stronger than he thought. Nate shook away his thoughts as Sully opened the sliding glass door in his own jacket.

"What the hell are you doin' out here kid?" Nate shrugged, turning his attention back to the sky only to feel the now normal grasp of Sullys' hands underneath his arms to be hoisted up to the man's hip. A small frown crossed his face towards his mentor as he carried him into the warm apartment.

"Gonna catch something being out there like that."

"I'm wearing a jacket!" to prove his point Nate raised his arms like it would draw attention to his plain black hoodie. Sully rolled his eyes and tugged on Nate's thin hood.

"A jacket doesn't do you any good in this kinda cold." He shot back, playfully pulling the fabric over the childs' eyes. Nate's frown deepened and he slapped Sully's hands away. His mentor chuckled and turned around to the kitchen, coming back with his own thicker jacket.

"At least you got somethin on. C'mon. We're heading to the store." Nate didn't object when Sully scooped him up and rested the small boy on his hip so he could open the door, Sully hurrying through the cold like everyone else until they got to the car where Sully blasted the heat. Nate buckled himself in while Sully cursed at the weather. The drive to the market was quick and quiet; the silence staying longer as Sully got a cart, letting Nate climb onto the bar in front of him. Nate always gave into his increasingly rearing childish attitude at the store, trotting around to get things Sully asks for or riding in the cart. It was a temptation he had fought since they went to the store the first time with him as a five year old. He held onto the bar while he leaned back, his head touching Sully's chest. He grinned at the middle aged man, earning a small smirk from him.

Sully was confused by how huge Nate's eyes look. It wasn't an unnaturally disturbing appearance, but he was almost disgustingly cute with his big blue eyes complimented by massive pupils, giving the kid the 'puppy eyes' look constantly. As a teen they had already been pretty big, but you didn't notice how big a teen's pupils were. He was still keeping a good grip on the teenage self he was mentally, but he had been giving into things children usually do. The kid didn't have much of a sweet tooth aside from his donuts, which was probably the only thing that didn't need an upgrade. He fell asleep much earlier than usual, wanted a lot more attention, and was just fading into kid behavior. Sully knew better than to point it out. Nate would go red in the face and deny it, call him an old cook or something and shun him until dinner.

Right now was another kid habit. He had grown the liking of hanging off the bar to set his head on his chest. He was surprised Nate didn't ask what the date was. Then again they didn't do a lot for holidays, so what difference would it make of knowing tomorrow was thanksgiving? The only thing that would change was Sully would make a slightly bigger meal and let the kid have a donut afterwards, even though the sugar made him restless when it came to time to sleep.

Sully just went through the isles, getting what he usually stocked the kitchen with and making sure Nate didn't sneak away to the bakery area again, snatching the kids' shirt when he heard the soft sound of the cart moving just a little. No matter what, he seemed to think he could out smart his mentor. It was funny how determined he had been to try and out do him the first month he spent with him. He had been stubborn and complicated and just plain old hard to tolerate. But that chipped away through the months. It had been hard to get the boy comfortable around him but he managed.

"Hey Sully? How come you're staring at me?" Nate piped up, tipping his head back to look at him while they stood in the shockingly long line. It was most likely a bunch of last minute thanksgiving preparations. The question caught Sully by surprise. He hadn't been staring! Had he? He had been thinking for quite a bit of time.

"I didn't know I was. Sorry, kid." Nate raised an eyebrow before pulling his head forward to rest his chin on the bar. Snark.

"Next." Sully moved the cart to start unloading their stuff, Nate helping him by grabbing random items. The girl at the register froze when she saw Nate. She clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Oh my god, you're just the cutest thing alive!" she fawned and reached over the register to-unlike the rougher experiences-move a few strands of hair out of his face. Nate had gotten so used to the rough, nailed hands clutching at him that the almost shy like touch made him blush and bow his head. Sully smirked. Figures the kid gets flattered when a pair of fake nails aren't digging into his cheeks. Sully chuckled and ruffled his hair, earning another round of hands slapping him away. The girl smiled at the scene and handed Sully his receipt, cooing a goodbye to Nate. Sully pointed another smirk at Nate, not surprised when the child stuck his tongue out as signal to keep his mouth shut. Poking at the kid was just too fun.

Xx **the next day!**

Nate crawled under his bed and opened the box that tortured him every day. That damn little stone slapping him in the face with reality each time. Still grey. Not a hint of red or even pink in sight. He sighed and rested his chin against his hands, M.S right by his side while he sulked. He was really starting to hate his habit of checking it; it only dissipated the little bit of hope he built every day. He should know better-the stone won't be of use until the day he turned on a full moon. He puffed a breath, which blew his ever growing bangs out of his face. Maybe he should ask Sully for a haircut. It wouldn't be the first time.

The first time had been occupied with Sully struggling to even get _near_ him… it hadn't been a pleasant day for either of them. But then again the first time he had only been with Sully a few weeks. He set the rock back into the box and wiggled his way out of the mess, dragging Minnie Sully with him until his head poked out of the flap of the covers. He heard a familiar chuckle and craned his head in the laying down position to see Sully smirking at him. For some reason he found it extremely amusing Nate wiggled in and out from under his bed every day with the bear in tow.

"You gonna stay there all day, kid?" Nate frowned and moved the rest of the way out. He looked up at his mentor with an embarrassed scowl, blushing lightly when the middle aged man playfully tugged at his bangs followed by the briefest run through of his hair. It was so quick and awkward it was hard to tell if it happened. But it never failed to make the two not sure what to do afterwards. It was an action that said a lot more than either of the males ever could on their own, neither ever being very…touchy feely. Sully cleared his throat and stuck his hand on the child's face, his objections muffled as he wrapped his own smaller hand around his mentor's wrist.

"C'mon. I got dinner ready." With just that, the older man turned around left, smirking when he heard Nate follow him. The two sat at their two person table.

"So you thankful for anything kid?" Sully bluntly asked, sticking a piece of chicken before turning his eyes back to the child across from him-who hesitated in the middle of a sip of water. He raised an eyebrow towards his mentor. He pursed his lips in thought and tapped his tiny fingers against his glass. What was he thankful for? What kind of question was that?

"Hmm…if I had to be thankful for anything I guess it would be…" Nate felt heat leak all across his face and on the tip of his ears as only one serious answer came to mind. It was a juvenile and puke worthy answer, but it was the only thing that Nate actually could think of being remotely close to thankful for. He bit his lip as he looked his mentor right in the eye, the flush on his cheeks removing some of the composition. He opened his mouth, wishing he could get out the single word he needed-but he couldn't. Sully didn't seem like he was expecting any particular answer, but Nate could still clearly see the confusion of his sudden silence.

"Donuts." He finished lamely, feeling the need to slam his head into the table. That wasn't even _close _to what he wanted to say. Sully started to chuckle as he stood up from his spot to clean his plate, setting his hand on Nate's head as he passed. The little motion made Nate regret his answer even more. Whether he was five or fifteen he couldn't say what he meant. It always came out wrong or not at all. He sighed and set his own plate in the sink-Sully in the other room watching television like any other night. Later that night; Nate changed into his pajamas and padded down the hall to see Sully had already gone to bed. He cracked the door of his mentor's room, quietly shutting it behind him. The room was silent all accept Sully's breathing. He tip toed over to the olders' bed and without thought took a little jump to climb up into the soft sheets, lying down a few inches away from his mentor's back. He wasn't sure if Sully was awake or not; he never said anything when he climbed into bed with him.

"Sully?" he murmured, not too surprised when he didn't get an answer. Sully was a person who fell asleep rather quickly. Nate felt a thin line of guilt sneak into his mind as he remembered dinner. The childish side of him reared its head and had him slinking over to Sully until he was snuggled up against the middle aged man's back, his heartbeat strong and steady. Little did he know that Sully had cracked an eye open at the feeling of him cuddling up to his back, an almost inaudible smile crossing his features. He knew what Nate meant to say-but he also knew Nate was never going to say it straight forward. The kid was complicated like that. So when he was sure Nate was sound asleep, he turned around and wrapped the mentally teenage child in his arms, another small smile crossing his face when Nate unconsciously moved closer into the embrace. The damn kid was turning him into a softy.

**Hot damn! lol this was long awaited and I'm sorry! Me and my disappearance. *slams head into desk* so schools going to start soon which means even less updating because…well you know. But I won't give up! so just bear with me. The next I think-two or three chapters will be based in December! Hecks yeah!**


	7. Jack frost isn't welcome

**Chapter seven is up! Hecks yeah! Ugh…I really don't wanna start school. Enough of my bitchin, to the story! **

Snow. It's a very beautiful thing if you think about it; Its pure white color and its miraculous way of sparkling in the sunlight awed those who got to see it. Nate however, was one of those people that despised it. To him it was blinding in the sunlight, its burning coldness drove him nuts. He just was one of those people who hated. That was why he was clinging onto Sully for dear life as his mentor piggy-backed him all through the streets- many other pedestrians' trekking across the icy sidewalks in heavy coats. The two were fairly aware of all the 'in your face' advertisements for Christmas even though it just hit the fifth. Nate's winter wear was covered with melted crystals of snow, his little nose was cold and reddening, and his arms were getting tired from slinking them around Sully's shoulders. Yet he couldn't feel irritated. Something about the winter months was very blissful for him. He hated snow but everything else made him feel kind of fluttery in the chest.

He never understood it, but he never questioned it either. He felt Sully hoist him up a little to keep him from slipping off his back. Nate let a faint smile cross his face when they passed a store brilliantly decorated with a tiny tree and an animatronic Santa moving in the window, a bunch of savings signs covering the other window. It was like that for nearly every store-even the liquor store and gun shop. Nate honestly hated the hard and cold ways of the city; the lack of care people showed one another putting it to shame compared to the slightly more tranquil ways of Columbia. During preparations for Christmas though, the entire place changed. People wore smiles and eyes seemed brighter, jolly music played through public stereos, things just seemed nicer in the time of a holiday that brought families together. Nate had horribly vague memories of Christmas before he was sent to the boys' home. Holidays there were just depressing; nothing really changed except for younger nuns being sweeter and giving all the kids a candy cane before the elders came back from shopping.

It was all a blur to him. He very nearly forgot Christmas existed during his time on the streets, then Sully came along. Sully had kind of pushed holidays back into his life. Now Sully never attempted to put Santa into Nate's mind nor did he pull any big fancy ideas for holidays. He did his own simple way-he was very straight forward about gift giving. He wouldn't say anything about presents or even _ask _what Nate wanted. He just usually bought a sketch book, a new pencil set or a new book. He wrapped it and set it on his nightstand for him to discover all on his own. Nate wasn't much of a game player when it game to gifts either. He too didn't ask what his mentor wanted and just bought something within his budget. Christmas was just…something to change their cycle, really.

"You hungry kid?" Sully spoke up after several minutes of walking. Nate turned his head on Sullys back and contemplated whether he was or not. Secretly, he only hesitated because he was quite comfortable against his mentor's back. He stomach gave a growl in objection to the hesitation.

"Yeah, kinda." He muttered and twitched when a snowflake delicately landed on the very tip of his nose, forcing him to cross his eyes to watch the ice crystal melt into a drop of water. He was surely going to have a cold after this. At least he had the right sense to put on a hat. He lifted his head off Sullys' back when a sudden change in temperature combined with the jingle of a rather tacky door chime indicated that Sully had found a place for lunch. Nate let him lift him off his back onto his small booted feet, the smell of hardy seasonings and cooking meat making his stomach growl even more. Nate slipped his nearly frozen hand into Sully's somehow warmer one, unconsciously moving closer into his mentors' side. His childish side was slowly winning his battle of pride more often than usual, his neediness for Sully's company becoming almost stifling. Translation? Clingy. Sully didn't seem to mind though-which worried Nate even more so than him giving in. The man never complained about his growing need for attention, in fact it sometimes seemed like Sully was expecting the bursts of affection from him.

He faintly remembered a few days ago; Sully had been reading the newspaper like he did every now and then, completely unaware Nate had come out of his room-And for some reason that had bothered him intensely. So intensely he had snuck over to his mentor and crawled right into his _lap_ without a single pause or word. They had just looked at each other for a moment before Sully went right back to reading the newspaper. No jabs or scolds or anything- leaving Nate stunned of what he had just done. Nate always tried to claim that it was the senior fortune hunters' warmth drawing him to sit in his lap or hold his hand, but he had a feeling Sully could see right through it.

The place Sully had chosen for their meal was a small business burger shop that held the regular rushed workers and a heavy scent of criminally greasy fried food. The man at the front counter was rather pudgy, but had a grin that made his customers turn with their own small smile as they left. He grinned at Sully and Nate as he finished waving off another customer.

"What can I get you on this chilly day?" He chirped. His eyes focused on Nate-who was now on Sully's hip and like nearly all adults he started to coo at the five year old. "Aww heck look at you! Sir, you gotta cute bugger right there." Sully scoffed softly when Nate stuck his head into the crook of his neck, pulling off the behavior of a five year old almost perfectly after many practice runs. They had figured out that the more he acts like a child, the more people leave him alone. It was a formula they hadn't seen something.

"Thank you." Sully answered and adjusted Nate on his hip. Nate pursed his lip at Sully's answer-no matter how many times they had to do this something clenched in Nate when Sully said thank you to compliments and answered questions about him. It was almost like the man was his fa-Nate stopped the thought right the edge of the cliff and pulled his head out from his mentors neck to put a little distance between them, his big blue eyes looking cloudy. The pudgy man grinned at Nate and reached over the counter to ruffle his hair.

"What do want, bugger?" He asked.

"Cheeseburger with no onions, please." Nate mumbled. He suddenly just couldn't concentrate. Parents were something he had sworn to never think of. That day he was left in the lobby of the boys home…was most likely the most eye opening and heart tearing day of his life. The worst part was what that was all he could remember. Staring at a door confused and hurt until a nun took him away. He shook his head to will away the thoughts that hadn't surfaced in years, deciding to watch the people in the kitchen move around each other like it was second nature, throwing their food together quicker than any fast food chain could.

The man handed them a white paper bag, accepting the ten Sully gave him.

"Are you excited that Santa's comin soon?" he asked as he put together Sully's change. Nate hesitated. But he put on a sweet smile and wrapped his arms back around Sully's neck.

"Yeah." He murmured and watched as a wistful smile crossed the servers face.

"Ah how I miss bein his age. Well, have a good Christmas and enjoy your meal." Sully nodded and turned around, rolling his eyes when Nate immediately started to dig into the warm bag to pull his paper covered burger out. The heat of the bun and meat had Nate relaxing into Sullys' side as they continued their walk to wherever Sully needed to go that day. The walk was quiet once again while Nate scarfed down his sandwich, unknowingly make Sully smirk with how chubby his cheeks would get with each bite. Sully reminisced in his thought of Nate being cute; the little boy had grown on him quicker than he would have thought-both as a teen and as a child. Sometimes it almost seemed like he was meant to be thrown into his life the way he was. Whether he is fifteen or five-the boy had almost delicate features that made him seem more innocent than he really was. His grin paired with icy blue eyes made him almost too charming to deal with. Nate was licking his fingers when Sully slowed until he fully stopped- the screams and laughs of children reaching Nate's young ears. He looked up at Sully with confusion, frowning when the man only bobbed his head to the side towards the noise.

Nate turned his head- and wished he hadn't. He whipped his head back to glare at Sully. His already face from the icy weather managed to darken another shade in distaste, his black snow hat very nearly shielding his eyes.

"Are you serious?" Sully shrugged, but the smile on his face confirmed Nate's assumptions. Sully was going to make him ice skate.

"I hate you, I hope you know that." The fellow treasure hunter rolled his eyes and walked up to the counter to rent the skates. To be honest he wasn't very into that sort of thing either. But that sudden moment of distance Nate had pulled at the burger place had him worried. He pretended not to notice the impulsive bursts of affection Nate showed him, or how instead of snuggling up to him in his sleep he immediately moved into his embrace, and he really did try to brush Nate climbing into his lap every moment he got off like it was nothing. But the teen's huge blue eyes always silenced him from saying anything. The more affection the child showed him, the stronger some strange strain in his chest became. He had gotten so used to the sneering, smirking, wise cracking teenager that still lived in the tiny child that the hugs and snuggles were like a table flip every time Nate performed them.

He chuckled when Nate tugged his hair, not shy to show his displeasure in the new activity. He was so stubborn and difficult whenever it came to doing things involved with other people; it was as if he just plain old didn't like doing things in public. He knew it was mostly because of his upbringing-needing to steal and deceive to get a simple meal and god knows what at that 'boarding school' he went to. Pulling the real Nate out of his shell was the most emotionally exhausting thing Sully believed he'd ever have to go through. The teen had been jumpy, overly cautious and far too independent. Even when he was out of his shell he didn't show much serious affection. Genuine smiles were rare and hugs were one armed millisecond ones. Not that Sully was going to push him any farther than that. Nate's need for attention was actually quite laugh worthy.

Sully hoisted Nate off his hip onto a bench, handing him his skates while he tried to figured out how the hell to get his own pair on. Sully had skated before-just once trying to impress a little lady when he was younger. So he at least knew how to stay up. Nate hesitantly stood up, craning his little neck at the side to observe the dark grey skates he tied securely. Or as securely he could with his numb little hands. Sully finished up tying his and placed his hands on Nate's hips to pick him up. Nate clutched onto Sully for dear life as the man tried to pull him off to set him on the ice.

"Kid; it's ice. It can't bite." Nate somehow flushed deeper and glared at his mentor, letting him set his skate covered feet on the scratched up frozen ground. Then he saw it; something he hadn't seriously seen in nearly three years. Uncertainty. It strangely tugged at his heart and he found himself setting his much larger hand on Nate's hat covered head.

"Relax, kid. I'll be right next to you alright? I wanna do this so you can have some fun. Not scare the shit out of you." He murmured and felt himself relax when Nate's hold on his own jacket loosened and his little hand slid into his big one for the second time that day. Sully threw a smile his way and slowly coaxed the child onto the ice and showed him how to move, skating backwards to teach the boy. The vice like grip Nate had eased as he grew the hang of the new activity, pursing his lips in utter concentration. The expression made Sully chuckle, finally letting go of Nate's hands. At first those big blue eyes bored into his with panic, fading into a smile as he started to move on his own.

"There ya go." Sully praised and watched Nate carefully skate around; clumsily flailing whenever he began to lose his balance. He chuckled. Nate was doing fairly well, giving him gleeful grins. It was nice to see the kid like that; like an actual child. Damn, what was he going to do about Christmas? He was pretty sure Nate wasn't expecting any more than usual. Maybe he could him some extra candy or something…just a little more to the holiday. Sully jerked out of his thoughts when a rather high squeal came from Nate and fell backwards-luckily not hitting his head-right on his lower regions. He sat there for a moment completely stunned. Sully's laugh perked his ears, making a fresh new flush of heat hit his face. He tried to glare again, but instead his own small giggles came out as Sully lifted him off his hind quarters and crouched to his size, pulling off the moves of a building scaler to stay balanced.

"Took quite a spill there. You sick of it or do you want to stick around?" Nate felt a whole new kind of warm bubble fill his stomach-it felt awkward and nice all at the same time. Lightness made him pull an absolute out of character smile, tossing his arms around Sully's neck. Surprise was etched all over his features.

"I wanna do something else." Was there elation in his voice? Because for a split second that's all that filled his little body. It was if a plug had been pulled on his restraint of his childish compulsions. Suddenly all he wanted to do was play there all day, he wanted to run and shout and just be himself until the sun went down. It was exhilarating and refreshing. Sully smirked and released his hands from his sides.

"And what would this 'else' be?" Nate hesitated a moment, his mind coming back to him with realization that what he wanted to do was asking an awful lot. He blinked and felt that elation leave him. What had come over him? That fall was nothing compared to what he had done as a teen and yet…it had made his mood flip around like mad. He released Sully's neck and backtracked, the childish wish refusing to get past his lips. He looked down and pursed his lips, his mind registering his behavior and felt heat hit his cheeks full force.

"Never mind…" he muttered, un aware of the confused frown that molded into his mentor's face. "Can we…can we just head home now, Sully?" He didn't mean to seem so whiny as he was certain he sounded, but his mind was rattled, he was cold, and he just wanted to be somewhere warm and get his thoughts together. The man picked him up without a word and glided over to the edge of the public rink to remove the little boys' skates, patting his hip as he did. Patting was the only thing Victor Sullivan never hesitated to do when it came to his protégé. It had been the first physical bit of contact Nate responded to positively. So he used the motion as an anchor-a way of saying nothing was wrong or going to go wrong. It was a promise.

Sully removed Nate's skates and did the same to his-being sure to quickly put Nates' boots back on before the cold snow could do too much to the boys' tender feet. Nate was quiet as he did this; never uttering a word with his head bowed. It was the damn kind of awkward silence again! It was suffocating and completely unnecessary between the two fortune hunters, the sounds of other children playing and the now obnoxious Christmas tunes only making their personal silence even more difficult to ignore. Sully backed away when he tied the last knot and set his larger, numbing hand on Nate's soft mop of hair-his hat stuffed inside his coat pocket- and pushed himself off the snowy ground. He could feel those puppy dog eyes looking up at him. He always knew.

When he looked down to his too-young protégé, he wasn't completely surprised when the little boy reached up with an obvious request in mind. There it was again-that tightening in the middle aged mans' chest that had him moving on impulse to scoop Nate up in one swift motion, smoothly moving the boy over onto his back and trying to shrug off the swelling warmth when Nate nuzzled his forehead into the crook of his neck. Little gloved hands linked together so thin arms cold wrap around his neck and shy away from the cold wind. Sully gave a mental sigh, starting the trek back to their apartment through the thinning crowd of people as the lunch hour came to a close. All the while Nate managed to snuggle closer through the walk-just like he did when he went to sleep. It was an unconscious move that Sully had learned to expect from Nate.

"Sully?" It was sudden-but not loud-and right in Sully's goddamn ear, jerking him out of the daze he had faded into.

"Hmm." He craned his neck to show Nate he was listening only to turn back quickly as not to run into anyone.

"…you gonna dress up as Santa this year?" Ah, there was some of the teen Nate right there; cynical, meaningless remarks that he knew would get under his mentor's skin.

"Yeah, and guess who's getting coal?" Sully muttered-rolling his eyes as a far too amused snicker leaked into his ear and a soft from youth cheek pressed against his own stubble one.

"I think I need somethin' worse than a chunk of coal, old man." And with a scoff, a battle of teases began. The ice rink, Nates' sudden wants and rejections, Sullys' growing protectiveness was all forgotten. Because that' just the way they were.

***slams head multiple times* late chapter is late as hell! Damn you homework! I would have had this up days earlier if I wasn't in a bunch of advanced classes! ;A; I hate being smart. But enough of my complaints hope you guys enjoy and I'll try to post a bit earlier. xhugsx**


	8. Merry Christmasin April

…**.I hate the world right now. Homework has yet to be done…*stares at algebra notes* but it can wait. I own nothing. **

Nate pressed his delicate red nose against the ice cold glass of an antique toy shop, watching the forgotten classic toys rock and move in a never ending cycle. The loud noises and obnoxiously bright painted colors made him smile with the lightness winter always brought him. Though he had no desire for the toys, they were a nice sight-something different in the ever changing city that revolved around more modern entertainment. A set of hands snaked under his arms, lifting him up until his slightly numb legs hung over his mentor's shoulders, little hands slinking into soft, slicked hair. Nate puffed a vapor cloud and set his chin on top of Sully's head, the warm grip of the elder's hands on his shins making him relax further into their now normal embrace.

Without a word, Sully began their trek that had been going for quite a bit of time, the warmth of their pit stop resting contentedly in their stomachs. Nate carelessly toyed with Sullys' hair, his icy blue eyes studying the even brighter street. It was Christmas Eve-and all around were bright happy colors, pleasant Christmas tunes, and elated children enjoying the steady fall of tiny snowflakes. The two had been strolling through the down town area for hours, their little apartment not too appealing to all the excitement going on in the bustling section of the city. The day had been pleasant with their lazy and spontaneous activities, the bitter cold failing to damper Nate's strange perky attitude. Not that Sully was complaining. It was nice to see the toddlers' lively and a cheeky smile on his round face- a very pleasant change from the ever faltering attempt of a poker face and an almost offensive distant attitude. It was a pleasant feeling- the tiny child's chilly hands entwined in his hair while said boy gently bobbed his head to the never ending holiday music.

He felt those small hands tug on the strands at the base of his skull, demanding attention. Nate's need for attention was pretty normal at that point, Sully growing to quietly enjoy the warmth of another tiny body with him during the night, or the weight of an innocent one in his lap. Even Minnie Sully was tolerable, the middle aged man finding it amusing how Nate carried the gray bear every around the house.

"Look, Sully they have Christmas tree donuts!" Nate's enthusiasm pulled a breathy chuckle from the treasure hunter, knowing the thick pastries were his favorite. But that was his fault. Having a laziness for mornings in the beginning led to multiple trips to donut shops for good supply of breakfast foods. Plus the boy had been frighteningly skinny for his age and had caused Sully to feel the need to bulk him up. So Nate's love of the empty calorie American treat was his entire fault. Without Nate needing to even place the request in mind, Sully walked over to the bakery shop and walked through the door, the scent of frying dough obviously brightening Nate's well stifled excitement. Sully repositioned Nate so that the child was snug in his side-the boy's thick coat making it just a bit harder than usual to hold him. Sully only bought two donuts; one for now and another for when they headed home, knowing Nate would want another treat later after dinner. He watched his protégé chew happily on the pastry, flakes of green frosting clinging to the edges of his mouth and little spurts of vapor out of his nose.

He eyed the boy's new haircut, a short-nearly shaven-cut that made him look cleaner than his original messy mop of hair. It had been agreed that they would get rid of it at some time, and with Nate being so small, it seemed like a good time to get it done. But he missed mussing it up. Nate gave a delicate burp and settled his cheek into the nape of Sully's neck, the heavy treat most likely making him feel drowsy.

Nate's thoughts slunk away towards the stone still hidden under his bed, most likely gathering dust. He had managed to break his habit of checking on it daily, but he was still horribly aware of it every day and night. Every time he prepared for bed, he glanced at the covers concealing the awful mass of stone. Every day he searched for Minnie Sully's hat, he had to fight the urge to open the flap of his comforter to peak underneath. He was sure Sully had started to think of it more often as well, the two aware that they were pretty much halfway through the year. Would that mean the stone would hold at least a few dots of pink? The hopeful acknowledgment pulled at Nate's heart and made him feel anxious. If the stone were to show progress, it would mean promise for their future plans to turn him back to normal!

Nate made a mental note to check on the stone later that night.

Nate tore himself out of his now anxious and slightly giddy thoughts to catch something Sully was telling him.

"You wanna stay for the tree lighting tonight kid? Or do wanna head home, eat, and then come back?" It took the child's brain to register the question, a short 'head home' coming out of his mouth. He felt himself being lifted back onto his elder's shoulders and his hands delving into the almost black hair of his mentor, minimal strands of grey, but he could see them so close. The day escaped them quickly from that point on; Sully had managed to talk Nate into playing with some other kids while he smoked a cigar, having to cut back in paranoia of Nate's young and weakened lungs.

It was surprising to watch him socialize with other children. Nate was small, but he was fast-and was outrunning other children charging at him with snowballs. But it looked like he was enjoying himself, on some level that the boy could enjoy _anything_ not related to history. He fought and failed to conceal the full out grin that covered his mustache clad face as Nate crawled through the snow into a fort he guessed was the opposite teams' and popped out holding a young girls hand.

Rescue. Sully almost didn't want to call Nate over to take him home. For so long he rejected his new size, his new everything, and seeing him playing and smiling pulled at him in a way he wasn't familiar with. He stomped out the butt of his cigar and walked across the section of snow children had claimed, finding Nate flushed and bright-eyed, making snowballs with that girl he rescued. Those blue eyes hit him hard, a look in them Sully hadn't seen at such a high level.

Happiness. He almost choked on his tongue how happy the little boy looked, his mitten coated hands cradling the lump of snow that was going to be a future snowball. His pink cheeks perked up from his beaming smile, the little girl giggling due to his company. Sully had to fight the stretch of his own lips as he bent down closer to their size, catching Nate and the girl's attention.

"So who's winning?" he pondered, setting his calloused hand on Nate's now hat covered head. The little girl gave a bright smile, showing the gap of a missing tooth.

"Our team! We're the ammo makers!" Nate remained silent and patted his clump of snow into a messy ball. Sully chuckled"

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Lisa." The girl answered without hesitation and handed Nate more snow as she put his other ball into the handsome pile, three young boys coming by and snatching a few.

"Well, Lisa, I hate to tell you this but I need your partner." Lisa stuck her bottom lip out in disappointment, obviously liking having Nate around as her playmate.

"Aw, but I wanna keep him! He's cute!" Sully had to clamp down on his lip to keep from laughing, catching the change in color on Nate's cheek. Nate oh so subtly glared daggers at the man, evidently embarrassed to the girl's crush. The treasure hunter gave a chuckle, setting his hands on Nate's small waist and hoisting him up onto his feet.

"Don't worry; it's a small town. I'm sure you two will catch each other again. C'mon, kid." The walked away, Lisa giving Nate an affectionate kiss on the cheek before they left the snow and running back to join the game again. Nate looked up to see Sully smirking and raising eyebrow.

"Lisa, huh?" Sully watched his young protégé's face turn aflame before he muttered profanities and stomped a few feet ahead. Sully chuckled, sticking his hands in his coat pockets and followed a flustered Nate back to their apartment.

Xx

Later that day, Nate was munching on his second donut after their heavy meal of fried chicken and potatoes, the sun already down in the first few hours of evening. Nate's winter wear had been damp from his time playing with the kids, so Sully had run it through the dryer and the clothes were still wonderfully warm wrapped up around him as Sully locked the apartment door behind him. One hand was holding his donut, the icing making his fingers sticky, and his other gripped around the metal bars of the guard rails with mild boredom as Sully gave the knob a little shake to ensure its security.

"Alright, let's head back to downtown." Nate wiped his sticky fingers on his cold jeans and held up his arms, Sully taking him off the ground and carefully down the slippery steps of their outer staircase. The walk was quiet, Christmas music still going and the occasional pedestrian passing by, most of the city's population already at downtown, ready for the tree lighting. Sure enough, hundreds of people were scrambling and yelling; occupying themselves until the reason they all bothered to come out in the cold began. Nate had maneuvered back to Sully's shoulders and was watching a group of women fuss over their children's' coats, the children mere babies that didn't know the difference whether their coat flap was up or not.

The sight had Nate scrunching his nose, his chin resting atop of Sully's head lazily as he watched the women flit over the babies as if they were the most delicate thing in the world. Well, they were weren't they? Bones barely stable, minds hardly developed. They were defenseless. Vulnerable. Too young to do anything if someone attacked them. So on some level they were like the beautiful dolls Nate remembers catching glimpse of in his days in Cartagena. At first glance, they were lovely, and nice to hold. But if they slipped from your fingers they shattered on the hard concrete of the roads. Fragile.

Did that mean Nate was just as fragile? Is that how Sully saw him? It was too far in the year to think so many doubts, but those little snippets of pessimism still clung to him so harshly it was hopeless. He craned his head forward so his freezing cold nose just barely graced Sully's equally icy nose, blue locking with grey in a moment of silence as the older man continued his steady stroll. Said older raised an eyebrow in question of the strange position. Nate said nothing, just kept staring, and staring. Something in his eyes flickered, and as suddenly as Sully's eyes had been filled with a chubby face, it was gone. He felt the pressure of the boy's chin settle back into the crown of his head, nimble tiny hands twisting into his hair once again. The strange moment passed as Nate gave a little sigh, a puff of vapor greeting him in the motion.

The cold air filled with low murmurs, a few random shouts from people separated from their groups, everyone sensing what they bothered to come for about ready to commence. Nate peered anxiously, a strange sense of giddiness filling him as he and the rest of the crowd waited. He felt the weight of Sully's hands on his shins, the threads of his hair through his fingers, but his attention was entirely on the massive tree resting in the middle of downtown. Sully shifted his weight, just enough to lure the boys attention for a moment, their eyes meeting again.

"You excited kid?" Sully chimed, patting Nate's knees.

"Maybe." He replied coolly, oblivious to his twitching and shaking-every tremor going through Sully's neck. The elder smirked towards the answer, rolling his eyes as a man walked in front of the pond of people in in his own winter wear.

"Hello and welcome jolly Christmas lovers. I'm proud to unveil this year's tree lighting-thanks to our sponsors "Harold's clothing line!" Merry Christmas! Now count with me, folks. Five…"

Nate kept his mouth closed, eyes still glued to the massive evergreen. He waited, the voices of dozens toning down to a single hum. He was so antsy, so ready to see a tree that size light up. Sully waited as well; noting how still the child was on his shoulders.

"ONE!" The single word shouted by the crowd almost seemed like a command as the tree snapped into a brilliant array of colors scattered across the prickles. It glowed in a bright hue that took Nate's breath away in one swoop. His cold little hand tightened in Sully's hair, the beauty of the artificial colors contrasting with the natural green and white of the tree.

He felt a pull in his stomach that had nothing to do with the hardy food he had eaten beforehand, eyes unable to tear away from the twinkling lights and the gentle awe it gave off. It left a sliver of sadness in him as well-something pushed far back beyond his years on the streets.

Then the spell is broken when his nose itches and he gives a soft sneeze. He heard Sully grunt in response to his little body jerking on his shoulders, the elder turning away from the lights as the frigid air deepens. "C'mon, kid. Let's get you home." As much as Nate wants to object, say that he's fine and wants to stay, he can feel sleep tempting him the farther they get away from the painfully pleasant lights. The only thing keeping him up are the bursts of col air to his soft little face as they walk home, knowing he'd pass out at home. And sure enough, as soon as Sully helps him out his winter wear in the warmth their apartment, his massive shirt around his faint shoulders, he falls asleep with Minnie Sully affectionately cradled in his arms. He's just conscious enough to feel Sully's heavy hand skim over his cropped hair, the touch gentle and fatherly. He falls into his dreams still feeling the ghost of that caring touch, his dreams laced with sweet treats and beautiful trees. Deep laughter accompanied with a lighter toned one rang through the bright space his mind had conjured, small flickers of darkness being swiped away by the happiness.

When the five year old protégé wakes up with a flutter of long lashes, his soft toned bedroom is brighter than usual, snow hanging on the sill of his window. He raises his head off his warm pillow, random licks of hair standing in random directions as he blinks the sleep from his blue eyes.

Resting on his night stand-wrapped in dark green paper was a box.

And scrawled on the sticker in hap hazard handwriting, it said 'Merry Christmas, kid.'

…**I fear my life. BUT I FINALLY FINISHED THIS I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO DATE HOW LONG IT TOOK BUT HERE YOU GO MY READERS *ROLLS INTO SUN***


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